


The Ghoul Prince

by Love_U



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Clown! Hide, King! Arima, M/M, Medieval AU, Prince! Kaneki, Prince! Urie, Royal Advisor! Hide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 15:56:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9332468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Love_U/pseuds/Love_U
Summary: Royal Advisor Hideyoshi found out something about the prince he was better off not knowing. It was funny how Hideyoshi only befriended the man after seeing the monster.





	1. C

**Author's Note:**

> The idea has been circling in my head for a while, and I've already got the whole plot laid down. This is basically Tg:re in medieval era lol Only with some slight modifications like
> 
> • The characters are a bit OOC since everyone is so formal.  
> • It is perfectly acceptable to be gay in this au. I know it doesn't make any sense, but I didn't want to overcomplicate the plot.  
> • Though Kaneki is a ghoul, he is NOT invincible. He has every ghoulish characteristic except their hard skin.

Hideyoshi beamed at the servants passing by as the throne room’s double doors closed behind him with a soft thud. Walking leisurely on his way to his quarters, he observed the servants scurrying about and smiled softly at those that bowed to him. Being a royal advisor did have benefits, though at times Hideyoshi found his job too tiring.

He was, after all, only 23 years old. To be trusted enough by a man nine years older than he was, was to put it simply, nerve-wracking. The knowledge that his opinion could change a thousand lives would make anyone weak at the knees, and if Hideyoshi was any less of a man, he would have broken down a long time ago.

On the way to Hideyoshi’s room was a small library King Arima specifically created for the servants. Seeing them reading on their free time always lightened up Hideyoshi’s mood and, as always, couldn’t resist peaking inside.  
And then the blond wished he hadn’t. Because sitting on one of the chairs and teaching a small servant girl was the adopted prince, Kaneki Ken; the only spoil of war Arima brought home on that fateful day three years ago.

Hideyoshi jumped away from the door as if burned, immediately assaulted by the sounds of flesh being torn open and the feeling of warm blood coating his back. His scar throbbed, and he briskly walked away in hope that increasing the distance between them could make the images go away. Hideyoshi’s head ached, and he desperately hoped that he wouldn’t cross paths with anyone else. He wasn’t the only one still recovering from the war, but he was a man of high position and thus couldn’t be seen weak.

Fortunately, his prayers were answered and Hideyoshi collapsed on his bed as the screams echoed in his ears. The kingdom and its people were still recovering from the people that they lost… and their queen that was taken from them.

Their queen who was assassinated by the guards who Kaneki Ken had worked with before.

Hideyoshi groaned, covering his eyes with a forearm. He still couldn’t figure out what his King was thinking, adopting a warrior from the kingdom he defeated. Hideyoshi was against the idea, but he was in no state to tell the King at that time. Even now, he didn’t quite trust Kaneki, and the advisor was sure he wasn’t the only one. It was hard to trust the man when he barely spoke or interacted.. In fact, Hideyoshi was sure that the servant girl – Hinami – was the only one he spoke to.  
Tired from the ringing in his ears and sure that he had been dismissed for the day, Hideyoshi slept. Later, after she has put down the people she had been ordered to, he will visit Touka

* * *

It was nearing midnight and after doing his duties for the day, Hideyoshi picked his pace to the execution chamber. It was a little far from the castle, and Hideyoshi hated it because the way and the place itself was surrounded by tall trees that blocked out most of the sunlight. At night, it only grew darker, and the only thing guiding him was the light up ahead.

Hideyoshi swore, cursing his own stupidity. He knew he should have at least brought a lamp, but he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. He supposed what he was doing seemed a bit sketchy, but Touka hated it when Hideyoshi visited in broad daylight, and after his episode earlier, he longed to see her. It has been a week since they last saw each other.

Of course, they couldn’t see each other often due to her duties as the executioner and his own duties as the royal advisor. She was one of the few who knew what Hideyoshi will want to talk about, and even one of the fewer who he trusted with his life.

A disturbing sound broke Hideyoshi’s stride just as he was nearing to the chamber. It was coming from his right, deeper into the forest. He whirled around, eyes wide, as his right hand grabbed the dagger strapped on his thigh out. The sound was similar to an animal, or more specifically a wolf, chewing on a bone. Wet, slurping sounds echoed around him making chills run down his back.

Hideyoshi swallowed heavily as his eyes focused, the image taking shape. A sliver of moonlight managed to pass through the thick canopies, and for a spit second Hideyoshi could clearly see everything.

An individual adorned in black with white hair so similar to their king was feasting on an arm, uncaring of the blood on his face. Hideyoshi only saw for a second, and yet the image had burned itself on his brain.

The adopted prince, Kaneki Ken, was a _monster_.  



	2. L

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to update this tomorrow, but something came up, and I won't be able to log in.
> 
> Anyway, next chapter will be updated next week. Thanks for reading and enjoy!!

He was _so_ dead.

Biting back a scream, Hideyoshi’s dagger cluttered to the ground, the grass softening the blow. It was the first time he felt thankful for the foliage surrounding the execution chamber, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Heart thundering in his chest, Hideyoshi reached for his dagger and placed it on his holster before taking a small, careful step backward. Although he wanted to run away and never look back, disturbing the meal of a rabid animal was a surefire way of getting killed.

Hideyoshi fought tooth and nail for his life. There was no way he was letting go of it so easily.

The sound of teeth tearing flesh resounded causing Hideyoshi’s heart to rise in his throat. He had undergone rigorous training, but that training was about man fighting man not-

 _Calm down_ , Hideyoshi thought nervously, _it hasn’t noticed you… yet._

So he tried to remain calm, and he took one shaky step after another until he was as far as possible from the monster. When he was sure that he was out of hearing distance, Hideyoshi allowed his knees to give out and fell butt first on the ground. He was soaked in his own sweat, heart still running a mile in his chest, and he couldn’t get enough air in his lungs.

The image of Kaneki Ken, white hair painted with blood flashed through his mind, and he couldn’t help but dry heave on the ground next to him. There was no way he was going through this again. Hideyoshi would rather face Touka’s wrath than see something like _that_ a second time.

A branch snapped in the distance, and panic shot through him like an arrow. Hideyoshi ran, stumbling as he did so at the same time Kaneki’s head shot up. Fast as lightning, a red whip snaked out of the prince’s lower back towards the direction of the sound. It came out with a white rabbit wrapped in it causing Kaneki to sigh in relief.

Meal finally finished, he cleaned the blood of his face and made his way back. This had been his routine for the past two years, and he grew comfortable enough that he didn’t change it. It would have continued that way had he not stepped on a dagger so very close to his feeding location.

Kaneki stiffened, alarm bells ringing in his head, as he picked up the dagger. It was made of steel with a gold handle, and at the bottom of the hilt was a carved joker. It was too high quality… definitely not something a mere peasant would have, and the scent-

Kaneki’s eyes widened. He _knew_ this scent.

The smell of someone _coated_ in blood, a smell stronger than Arima’s scent. It was all over the palace, most noticeable in the throne room and sometimes even Hinami. It wasn’t the King nor Crown Prince Urie, so who...?

“Who are you?”

* * *

“Hideyoshi,” Arima said as he sat down on the single chair in the room, “is my advisor.”

Said blond moved to stand on Arima’s left side as Urie, the heir to the throne, positioned himself on his father’s right. Hideyoshi gazed steadily at their new head strategist who was on the other side of the table. He had been working with former Head Maraude a few months after he became advisor, so there was no way he was letting himself get taken out so easily.

Matsuri continued to stare at Hideyoshi blankly. “I assure you, sire, you need no further insight than what I could give you.”

Well, that was… although he wanted to defend himself, it would be rude to speak out of turn. Hideyoshi glanced at Arima, wondering if he was going to take any action. It was, after all, slightly impertinent to suggest knowing what the king needed. However, Arima never really cared for such formalities which was a trait he had apparently passed to his son.

“The Royal advisor,” Urie began when it was clear that Arima was not planning on speaking anytime soon, “was chosen because of his unique insight to problems (so shut your mouth).”

Swallowing back a yawn, Hideyoshi inclined his head slightly to the right in thanks. Urie didn’t speak unless something needed to be said, very much like his father, and even when he did, he usually held something back. In fact, there was another person in the royal family who shared the same trait, but Hideyoshi was not going to think about _him_. He had already haunted his dreams, there was no way Hideyoshi was letting him plague his thoughts as well.

“…Very well, your royal majesties,” Matsuri said with a bow after a short pause. He then clapped his hands together and spread the map. “Shall we-”

The door opened, cutting Matsuri off. They all whirled around, surprise and wariness etched on their faces. It was unusual and disrespectful for soldiers to suddenly barge in on a meeting, and it was clear that punishment was to be met if there was no emergency. However, it was no mere soldier that entered.

_Kaneki Ken._

A pale Hideyoshi and Matsuri bowed in respect. While Hideyoshi was the picture of calm, he was screaming internally. In his three years as an assistant strategist, Kaneki Ken had attended the meetings only _six_ times. He wouldn’t be here unless there was an emergency _or_ , his traitorous mind supplied, _unless he knew_.

 _Impossible_.

Heart in his throat, Hideyoshi raised his head and found Kaneki Ken staring directly at him.  
“Kaneki,” Arima intoned. The prince turned to him with a small bow before moving on the right side of the table. Hideyoshi started breathing again once the grey eyes left him. “What are you doing here?”

“I was ambushed while I was on my way back from the 11th town,” he informed casually as if he was talking about the weather, as if he didn’t venture to the most dangerous part of the kingdom. “There were more rogues than usual.” Distantly, the part of Hideyoshi’s brain that was still functioning wondered whether Arima will reprimand Kaneki for his reckless behavior. After all, the king had specifically told his sons to stay away from the southern side for the time being.

But, then again, why would Kaneki listen to Arima when he could simply-

Unable to finish the thought and feeling sick to his stomach, Hideyoshi stumbled, body meeting the hard wooden table with a loud thud. He breathed deeply, willing the dizziness away and arranging his face in a blank mask. Careful not to meet anyone’s eyes, he bowed to Arima. “Forgive me for my momentary weakness, my liege. I was simply overwhelmed with worry over our people.”

Four pairs of eyes drilled holes at the back of his head, and Hideyoshi resisted the urge to shiver. They all probably knew that he was lying, but it was still better than knowing the real reason behind his stumble.

“The matter is concerning,” Arima conceded, which also meant that he could rise from his bow.

There was a high chance that Arima didn’t know just what kind of monster he brought home. If he had, Kaneki Ken would already be dead, Hideyoshi was sure of it. Furthermore, with the king’s assistance, he wouldn’t have to sneak around eating people in forests at the middle of the night. The conclusion Hideyoshi arrived in only brought on a new dilemma.

…should he tell the king? More importantly, would Arima believe him?

He stole a glance at the royal family and saw the barely visible upturn of Arima’s mouth. No… there was no way he would believe him. Trusted as Hideyoshi was, Kaneki was more favored. However… if he told Urie-

Steel eyes snapped to him as if reading his thoughts. Hideyoshi swallowed nervously. He didn’t know, he assured himself, there was no way he’d know.

“I came only to inform you,” Kaneki said with his eyes never leaving Hideyoshi’s form even as he said his goodbyes. Bowing once more, Kaneki left the room and, finally, Hideyoshi could breathe again.

“Hideyoshi, you are dismissed as well.”

Eyes snapping open, the blond immediately tried to protest, but Arima held up a single hand. He shook his head slightly, eyes unwavering, and Hideyoshi knew he wouldn’t change his mind. Holding back a sigh, he bowed before heading out the room, wariness once again seeping into his bones. He had a feeling that Kaneki was waiting for him right outside the door, and he didn’t want to go out there knowing he had no more orders to follow.

Strengthening his resolve, Hideyoshi opened the door and stared at a deserted hallway. No one else but the two soldiers standing guard outside the door were present. Hideyoshi felt like laughing at his own dramatic conclusion, but he still kept his guard as he made his way to his room. Adrenaline made it harder to sleep at night, but it came handy in times when all his body wanted to do was shut down.

With a sigh of relief, Hideyoshi arrived in front of his quarters, unharmed and no sight of Kaneki Ken. Hideyoshi felt all of his muscles start to relax as he opened the door to his sanctuary. If he was lucky, he would not see the adopted prince until tomorrow.

“Your room is cleaner than I thought,” a thoughtful voice commented as Hideyoshi was closing the door. The blond would have laughed, would have told the voice that without the servants to clean up for him, he would be living in a pigsty. Hideyoshi _would have_ , but the voice was achingly familiar, and it reminded him of blood and gore.

Hideyoshi slowly turned around and sunk to a bow. Much as he was loathed to put himself in a vulnerable position, the chances of the prince killing him was lower if he were to keep up the façade of normalcy around them. “My prince,” Hideyoshi breathed, heart clawing out of his chest, as he tried to sound normal. Could this creature before him smell fear? “I was not expecting a visitor.” Especially one that got to his room before he did.

Kaneki hummed and went around the room, picking up various objects and studying them. Hideyoshi straightened, unconsciously stepping closer to the door. “Where were you yesterday night?” The prince asked suddenly, and Hideyoshi’s brain kicked into overdrive the same way it did when he was forced to make instant judgements.

“I was resting after a tiring day, my lord,” he replied, glad that his voice didn’t waver. But the happiness was short-lived, because Kaneki was suddenly in front of him, gripping his throat in a loose hold.

“ _Lies_ ,” he hissed, showing Hideyoshi a glimpse of the monster under the mask. “I called for you, but you were nowhere to be found.”

Hideyoshi blinked, and almost bursted into laughter. Kaneki was _smart_. If Hideyoshi countered with the knowledge that the prince was lying, he’d be forced to say why he thought so. If he admitted that _he_ was lying… well, some people said that lying to royalty was a criminal offense. As an advisor, he wasn’t supposed to lie. Hideyoshi wouldn’t put it past Kaneki to cut his tongue off in order to keep him quiet.

This was bad… Hideyoshi was quiet attached to his tongue.

So like what any sane person would do in his situation, he kept his silence. After a long pause, the hand gripping Hideyoshi’s throat tightened. “There’s no use lying about it,” Kaneki warned, and as if it was a perfectly normal thing to say, he added, “I remember your scent.”

 _If you already knew_ , Hideyoshi wanted to say, _you shouldn’t have asked_. And he thought, _he_ had a flair for dramatics. Still, Hideyoshi was fond of speaking, and he didn’t want to add coal to the already raging fire, so he held his tongue.

It seemed like Kaneki Ken had a special talent for shutting Hideyoshi up. Touka would be ecstatic.

“Cat got your tongue?”

And that- _that_ was something he wouldn’t be able to resist. Hideyoshi never backed down from a challenge. “More like a man-eating creature,” he snapped, relishing in the way Kaneki’s eyes widened. Unfortunately, the shock wore off too fast, and surprise gave way to curiosity.

“Then… why didn’t you tell anyone?” Kaneki asked, his grip loosening ever so slightly.

“Maybe I’m just bidding my time,” Hideyoshi shot back.

Kaneki scoffed. “You’re not _that_ foolish.”

Hideyoshi sputtered indignantly, offended at the insinuation that he was normally foolish. Not that it wasn’t _true_ , but still! He was about to retort when Kaneki spoke again, the curious glint back in his eyes. “Any normal human would have run straight to the authorities after seeing something like that… so why didn’t you? Then, again…” Kaneki hummed thoughtfully, stare intent. “You’re not normal, are you?”

Hideyoshi ignored the question and looked at him, unwavering. “You’re a prince,” he simply said, but Kaneki merely raised an unimpressed eyebrow as he gazed at Hideyoshi in disappointment. Something in his eyes screamed _‘I expected better from you.’_

“Adopted,” the white-haired man replied curtly.

“ _Favored_ ,” Hideyoshi corrected with a shake of his head. “You do realize that rumors about you being a monster has been circulating in the kingdom ever since you stepped foot on our land? My word would change _nothing_. So as long as the king trusts you, _no one_ will lay a hand on you.”

Kaneki stared at him in bewilderment, and Hideyoshi guessed that everyone took care not to mention anything in front of or near him. With an exasperated sigh, Hideyoshi continued, “The least that could happen to me if the king ever found out that I said those things about you would be a demotion. At worse… exile.”

Kaneki stepped back, releasing his throat. “So why don’t you tell them?” he repeated. “You would be saving a lot of lives… if exile is the worst you could face-“

“ _No!_ ” Hideyoshi interjected sharply. He had- he had earned his place there, and _no one_ – not even a man-eating monster – could take it away from him. Hideyoshi wouldn’t allow it. He couldn’t go back _there_. He’d rather _die_.

Hyperventilating, Hideyoshi spoke through deep mouthfuls of air. “It- it doesn’t matter if you’re killing criminals. _I don’t care_! They were going to die anyway.”

“You might as well be murdering them yourself,” Kaneki told him softly. “Letting someone like me go.”

Hideyoshi breathed in sharply, looking stricken, and Kaneki watched in interest as his face morphed into a blank, emotionless mask. “We all have blood on our hands,” the blond stated. He barely felt it when Kaneki held his chin gently, barely heard the words the prince whispered.

“I was right… you _are_ interesting.”

Hideyoshi stared at him, noting how the pools of grey shone silver when hit by sunlight. Kaneki stroked is head with the other hand, urging him to relax and regain his breathing under control. Slowly, Hideyoshi did. Even then Kaneki continued stroking his hair, and Hideyoshi didn’t try to stop him as he unconsciously leaned into the touch, the tension leaving his body. Kaneki’s lips quirked into a small smile.

"Nagachika!” a voice bellowed outside, the only warning they received before the door to Hideyoshi’s room was violently kicked open. The two occupants stared in surprise at a flustered Touka who bowed as soon as she regained her senses. “Forgive me!” she hurriedly apologized. “I was not aware that Hideyoshi was holding counsel with you, your highness.”

Straightening, Kaneki ruffled Hideyoshi’s hair one last time before leaving the room. Touka stood straight once the door closed but did not speak until the footsteps disappeared all together.

“Be careful of him,” she warned. Hideyoshi glanced sharply at her. Did she know? But Touka answered his suspicious look with a look. “Don’t look at me like that! That man is dangerous! They tell me that he grew up in a palace, has been training as soon as he lift a sword and could take down _five_ royal guards alone. You shouldn’t be alone with someone like _that_ , weak as you are.”

Hideyoshi pouted, relieved, and he told himself that it was because Touka wouldn’t be in danger the less she knew. Touka moved to sit on his bed, grabbing the dagger tucked in Hideyoshi’s pocket and twirling it on one hand. Eyes widening in realization, Hideyoshi huffed. That dagger had been missing for the better half of the day, and there was no way he would put it in his pocket of all places.

 _So_ that's _how he found out_.

“Anyway,” Touka continued, cutting off Hideyoshi’s thoughts. “He somehow convinced the king that he wasn’t a part of the assassination. Truthfully, I don’t know much... that day was a huge shock for all of us.” She eyed him, and Hideyoshi’s wished that she wouldn’t put to words the question written in her eye. “…how is your scar?”

Hideyoshi’s laugh was strained. “It’s been three years; it’s healed already… I don’t understand why you ask me that every time we meet.”

Touka looked down with a frown, her hands clenching the dagger in her lap. “Sometimes, you’re not aware that you’re scratching it. “ Hideyoshi could tell she wanted to say more, but he honestly didn’t want to hear them. Changing the topic, the blond plopped down beside her, a grin forming on his face.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing here?” He asked, because Touka made it clear that people of their position shouldn’t be seen together. Something must have happened… the fact that Hideyoshi caught the prince yesterday along with his friend’s unexpected visit didn’t sit well with him.

“Missed me?”

“ _Please_ ,” Touka drawled, rolling her eyes and handing the dagger. “The world will burn before that happens.”

Chuckling, Hideyoshi stood up and offered Touka a hand. “As much as I want to talk, I really just want to sleep,” he told her. Touka raised a single brow and stood up on her own. Hideyoshi let his hand fall, fond exasperation blooming in his chest.

“You? Out of energy?” Touka replied incredulously. “I never thought I’d live to see the day.”

Grinning, Hideyoshi led the way out of his room. “There’s a first time for everything,” he said as he closed the door. “Let me walk you home.”

The walk to Touka’s place was filled with companionable silence. Hideyoshi reckoned that Touka was finding his behavior to be weird, but if there was one great thing about Touka, it was her trait of knowing when she really needed to stay quiet. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts, both growing tenser the deeper they got into the forest.

Once they reached her home, Touka swatted the blonde’s arm in goodbye. Since Hideyoshi didn’t want to go through the forest again, he went through the graveyard which would lead to a barren field close to the kingdom. He had never set foot on the graveyard, because he didn’t have loved ones to remember. The clearest memory of his family that he could remember were the blurry faces of his parents just before they left him in a strange town filled with bad people.

Hideyoshi shook his head, clearing the thoughts away. He _hated_ graveyards. Placing his hands in his pockets, Hideyoshi trudged home peacefully. There was movement at the corner of his eye, and his hand automatically flew to the dagger on his thigh. Criminal activity so near the palace was unheard of, but like he had said before there _was_ a first time for everything.

Hideyoshi turned around and blinked in surprise.

Urie was kneeling on the ground in front of a tomb stone, and Hideyoshi didn’t have to wonder whose it was. There was only one person Urie was close to that he would personally visit. Hideyoshi wasn’t the only one affected by what happened with the Yoshimura kingdom.

If Hideyoshi focused enough, he could read the things written on the grave stone in neat letters.

_Here lies a brave soldier, a loyal subject, and a trusted friend. May he rest in peace._

_Shirazu Ginshi_


	3. O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are amazing *.* I didn't expect to get so much positive response since this fic is very self-indulgent, so thank you so much for reading!! I hope you enjoy this chapter too. :D

The situation in the southern border of their kingdom has worsened considerably. The neighboring towns have began to complain, and the towns farther away were growing concerned. Arima was forced to call another emergency meeting and sent out the servants to call for the princes. If the situation continued, controlling the public would be difficult. After all, it was only because of their trust in him that there were no real outcry yet.

With Hideyoshi on his trail, Arima headed to the meeting room seconds before Urie. The prince bowed before stepping aside and letting him pass through. To the trio’s absolute surprise, Kaneki was already in the room, leaning with his arms crossed at the farthest corner just like he had been doing for the past meetings. Arima would be more concerned with his adoptive son’s drastic change in personality if there weren’t more pressing matters to attend to.

Right after Arima sat down and waved his hand, Royal Head Guard Amon stepped forward. “The third party sent to tame the unrest in the 11th town resulted in almost every member’s death,” he reported. “Of all 40 soldiers, 38 died while the two who returned home were critically wounded.”

Amon paused, letting his words sink in, “However, the information attained from the prisoners could turn the tide. It seems that there’s an organization all the criminals fall back to. The prisoners stated that as long as this group exists and has its eyes set on the kingdom, we will fall. That is all.”

A heavy silence fell upon them, but not a single one present in the meeting was expecting anything less. Looking at each of their faces, Arima was surprised to find Kaneki staring at his royal advisor and not with his head bowed down like usual.

With good reason, though, because Hideyoshi’s breathing was slightly uneven behind him.

“I’ll go,” Kaneki offered, startling everyone. He stepped forward with his gaze unwavering before kneeling. “Let me go alone. I could disguise myself and gather information.”

“Your majesty, if I may,” Matsuri interjected and waited for Arima’s nod of approval before proceeding. “Such an act is not befitting for a prince. Why, we have scouts to do the exact same thing, so there is no reason for his highness to go.”

Kaneki scowled at him, eyes blazing. “Scouts that all died. It is foolish to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different outcome.”

Gesturing for Kaneki to rise, Arima turned to Hideyoshi with the expectation of looking at calculating eyes. On the contrary, his advisor was looking at Kaneki with a unusual mixture of bewilderment and gratitude, his head slightly tilted to the side. “What say you, Hideyoshi?” Arima asked causing said male to snap to attention.

“The prince’s suggestion involves a lot of risks, but if it were to work, we would surely gain important information.” Kaneki looked triumphant before his face fell at the advisor’s next statement and, to Arima’s surprise and confusion, shot the blond an accusing look. “However, the prince is widely known across our land, and his appearance isn’t what you would consider normal. It would be near impossible to go undercover. As always, the decision lies with you, my liege.”

Arima stared at Kaneki and found himself the recipient of unimpressed grays. “I shall think further on the matter, and everyone except the crown prince and royal advisor is dismissed.” Dutifully everyone filed out until only Urie and Hideyoshi remained. Arima stood up to face them.

“Kaneki’s interest in politics has increased,” he began, thankful all over again that he had such perceptive people at his side to prevent him from speaking more than he had to.

“It’s suspicious,” Urie blurted out at the same time Hideyoshi said in a slightly strained voice, “He might be concerned.”

Arima waved a hand for Hideyoshi to continue. “It has been three years since you took him in, my lord. He could have grown fond of the kingdom and acquired a wish to protect it.” Urie shot him a bemused look, confused as to why he was defending the prince. Of course, it was Hideyoshi’s job to look at all possible explanations… but-

“I see,” Arima replied, dismissing them. The duo shared a look before bowing and leaving the room. Curious eyes followed Hideyoshi on the way out, and Arima sunk back to his seat, looking at the map contemplatively. Something was definitely up with Hideyoshi and Kaneki, but what?

* * *

“Thank you,” Hideyoshi said, leaning as casually as he could against the training wall. He was trying to copy he posture Kaneki had when the man surprised him, but Hideyoshi didn’t think he was doing that great a job, because it felt _wrong_.

The room was smaller than what the soldiers use, but it was more extravagant. Near the door was two rows of straw dummies, and a little further ahead was a shooting range. The walls were lined with chests and shelves full of weapons.

Kaneki paused, mid swing, as if Hideyoshi’s presence was a surprise when in truth, he was aware of it as soon as the advisor stepped in, especially since the blond had been doing it for the past few days. “Are you really going to speak so informally to your prince?” he replied, abandoning the previous action so he could stab the straw dummy straight in the head. He lolled his head back and shot Hideyoshi a smirk, pulling his swords out.

The blond rolled his eyes but acquiesced. “I thought our relationship was way past that with me knowing about your activities, but if his majesty so desires…” He sunk onto a deep mocking bow. “I shall abide.”

Hideyoshi straightened with a wide smile and caught sight of Kaneki’s twitching lips before the prince faced forward and continued attacking the dummy. After a moment of admiring Kaneki’s skill and form, the prince spoke again. “What were you thanking me for?” He asked as he walked to where the weapons were stashed, breathing completely even after the complicated dance he just performed. Hideyoshi blinked at him, awed, and Kaneki clarified, “Earlier.”

“Oh,” Hideyoshi answered intelligently, earning him a raised eyebrow. “I wanted to thank you for taking the attention off of me during the meeting.”

Curiously enough, it looked like Kaneki was blushing. The prince looked down with all of his attention unusually focused on the dagger in his hand. Heart stuttering in his chest, Hideyoshi stepped forward to get a better look.

“I didn’t do it for you,” Kaneki suddenly blurted out, momentarily stopping Hideyoshi in his tracks. Smiling at the wide-eyed look the prince was giving him, Hideyoshi moved closer and plucked the dagger out of Kaneki’s hand so he could test the weight. Smile dimming for a bit, Hideyoshi chucked it back into the pile.

_That was a sorry excuse of a weapon._

Lighting up, Hideyoshi grabbed another dagger and, with a nod of approval, handed it to Kaneki. “Just like how you didn’t attend all those meetings because of me?” Sighing, he gave the prince an exasperated smile and watched proudly as Kaneki stared at the dagger in excitement. “I already promised to keep my silence, my lord.”

“That’s not-” Kaneki shot him a sharp glance before frowning at the dagger in his hand and strapping it to his thigh.. “I don’t trust Matsuri, is all.” Hideyoshi eyed him, amused. However, the look morphed into surprise when Kaneki levelled him with an accusing glare. “Anyway, you repaid me by shooting my suggestion down.”

Hideyoshi scrunched his nose in distaste and watched as Kaneki picked up another sword. “Your suggestion was only half of what an idea should be. It would have been foolish to go along with it,” he waved off. Head tilted curiously to the side, Hideyoshi hummed thoughtfully. “I’ve only seen you use melee-ranged weapons. How about a bow?”

“I’m not good with bows,” Kaneki admitted.

“His majesty can’t be _that_ bad,” Hideyoshi challenged with a scoff, grabbing a bow and a quiver of arrows and pushing them to Kaneki. The prince looked at him, unimpressed but already moving to the shooting range, and said blandly, “I miss the days when you were terrified of me.”

“Lies,” Hideyoshi quipped back, and then, noticing the strange look Kaneki was giving him, asked. “What?”

Grabbing an arrow from the quiver, Kaneki loaded it into the bow and took position. “You were _terrified_ of me before… what happened?”

Hideyoshi smiled softly at him, watching as Kaneki drew the string back, preparing to shoot. “I just realized that aside from your eating habits and general unpleasant aura, you’re really not that scary.” Kaneki let go of the string in surprise and turned to face Hideyoshi. “There are worse monsters out there, your majesty.”

“I know,” Kaneki answered shortly, walking over to him. “I was a warrior, and I’ve been to war.”

“No, you do not,” Hideyoshi contradicted in a soft voice as he brushed the hair away from Kaneki’s face. “My liege, you’ve lived in a palace your whole life, and yes, you’ve been to war but… people don’t have time to turn into monsters in battles. Monsters are born in abandoned towns filled with the sick and dying with nothing but fear and desperation to keep them going.”

Kaneki stared at him intently, eyes soft with kindness and understanding, and Hideyoshi couldn’t help but hate himself a little more for ever thinking that the man in front of him was a monster. Letting out a watery chuckle, Hideyoshi looked behind Kaneki to check where the arrow landed.

Chuckling, he turned to Kaneki with a cheeky grin. “You _are_ bad.”

Kaneki rolled his eyes and put the weapons away before sitting down against the wall, hands placed behind his head. Hideyoshi stared at him and sputtered in surprise. “Just _what_ are you doing?”

“I’m tired,” the prince yawned out as he beckoned Hideyoshi closer, eyes still closed. “I’m going to sleep.”

Brows furrowed, Hideyoshi stared down at him. “Here? But you’re so vulnerable like this…”

“Then stay,” Kaneki told him simply and opening a single eye. Hideyoshi frowned at him, bemused, but reluctantly sat down all the same. “Stay and keep me company.”

“I already stayed too long. I still have duties to attend to.” Hideyoshi bit his cheek in indecision and grunted in surprise when the prince casually slid down the wall into his lap. He looked really angelic like that, stripped of his worries and cold demeanor. Hideyoshi wouldn’t have been able to resist playing with his hair even if he tried.

Kaneki sighed in contentment and mumbled sleepily, “Stay for a little longer, and wake me up before you leave. That’s an order.”

It would be bad if someone came by and saw them, but Kaneki picked his spot well, and they would remain hidden unless someone really peaked in. Smiling softly, Hideyoshi leaned back against the wall, still playing with Kaneki’s hair. “As my liege desires.”

* * *

Yawning, Kaneki walked the familiar way to the palace stables and ignored the servants bowing at him. He hadn’t slept peacefully in such a long time, and he knew that the only reason he did was because of Hideyoshi’s presence. However, instead of smile, the thought of the young advisor made Kaneki frown. He wasn’t sure of it during the meeting but the advisor’s gratitude made it clear that he was hiding something about the group running the 11th town.

Why, though? As far as he could tell, Hideyoshi was loyal to Arima. _Well_ , Kaneki though as his mind flashed to the words the blond has spoken, _as loyal as Hideyoshi allows himself to be_. Which might not be much, if Kaneki was being honest with himself.

Having finally reached his destination, Kaneki sighed. Hideyoshi was as suspicious as he was interesting, that was for sure. Kaneki saddled his horse quickly and began to head to the 13th town. The forests and the environment around the palace was too quiet and subdued for him, and even the northern towns were too peaceful for his liking. However, going to the southernmost part of the kingdom was against the king’s direct orders, so the 13th town was his best bet.

Kaneki ground his horse to a stop and tied the reins around his favorite tree, and as he was about to climb up he heard a familiar whistle. His chest constricted painfully and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. Feeling weak in the knees, Kaneki ran to the direction of the sound with little thought about anything else other than the people waiting at the end.

Once he got there, his eyes widened in recognition and a smile stretched his lips. “You’re alive,” Kaneki breathed, his chest threatening to explode from the sheer amount of relief and happiness he was feeling. Before him were the people he used to fight with, the people he trusted and depended on, the royal guards of the Yoshimura kingdom. “I thought you were all dead.”

“The king sacrificed himself for us, and we lost Banjou and Yamori along the way,” Ayato informed him solemnly, ignoring Naki’s choked sob in the background. “It took a while to find each other again, because we got separated while running away.”

Seidou stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I have to say, you did a great job, Kaneki, in gaining the king’s trust. “

Smile dropping from his face, Kaneki took a step back, letting Seidou’s hand fall. Realization was beginning to set in, and Kaneki’s stomach bottomed as dread filled him. Kaneki was too elated to notice it before, but everyone was too tense, too watchful and expectant similar to the countenance of a soldier expecting an attack. Unconsciously, his hand drifted towards his sword. “What are you talking about?”

“We want help you, Kaneki,” Seidou told him cautiously, as if he was waiting for something. “Let’s overthrow the throne together.”

Kaneki breathed in sharply. “I’m not planning on attacking anybody,” he said and knew that it was a mistake the moment the words left his mouth. Seidou glared at him in disgust, eyes hardening while Naki tried to attack him only to he held back by Ayato. Naki fought him, but Ayato didn’t budge, so he settled for screaming.

“I told you he turned traitor! _I told you!_ ”

“Naki,” Ayato gritted out with a scathing glare, “Be quiet.” He looked at Kaneki, fire burning in his eyes as he fiddled with his sword. “ _Why_? Why not? Our king is _dead_ because of them!”

It was painful to he reminded of Yoshimura’s death, but Kaneki was sure it caused more pain to the one mentioning it. “Arima didn’t’-“

“ _What difference does it make?!_ ” Seidou screeched, silencing everybody. He was shaking with both anger and betrayal. “We know Arima didn’t order the attack, but it happened anyway! They _burned_ our kingdom to the ground. They took our home away, and they killed our king! The king who protected you and raised you despite knowing _what_ you are! And- and you have the gall to stand there and defend the people who did it? _Have you no shame?!_ ”

“They thought you assassinated their queen,” Kaneki told them quietly as he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. He didn’t know the details. All they told him was that the queen was assassinated in her chamber while on a visit in the kingdom. A royal guard’s insignia was found beside her body, as well as weapons found only in the Yoshimura kingdom.

Ayato released Naki and the latter didn’t waste a moment as he delivered a hard kick to Kaneki’s stomach causing him to drop to his knees in pain. He could have blocked it, of course, but Kaneki felt like he deserved any harsh beating they would want to deliver. “They didn’t even let us explain!” Naki gritted out, tears running down his cheeks. “We had been allies for so long, helped them in so many battles, and they decided to just _slaughter_ our people.”

“They were too angry!”

Seidou scoffed in contempt. “Angry? Well, we’re furious. We won’t let them get away with what they’ve done.”

Kaneki shook his head, eyes pleading for them to understand even as he drew his sword. “You know I can’t let you do that.”

“We know,” Ayato told him, eyes empty and expression blank. “When we called you out here we came to terms with it. Either you would leave this woods with an assassination plan and our backs against each other like the brothers we’re supposed to be… or-“ Crying out in pain and surprise, Kaneki stared at the arrow protruding from his arm in shock before glaring at his former allies. “You wouldn’t leave at all.”

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Kaneki moved to pull the arrow out, but before could, another arrow hit his lower back. _Of course_ they had reinforcements.

Kaneki chuckled weakly and spat blood on the ground. It seemed like he was surrounded.

* * *

Hideyoshi hummed a tune under his breath as he bounced to the servant’s quarters. He accidentally fell asleep with Kaneki earlier, and was thus filled with energy. He figured he could burn it off by teaching Hinami, because it had been a while since he last saw the girl.  
Just as he was about to knock, a suspicious resounding thud was heard outside the door that led to the woods behind the kingdom. There was no one guarding the doors outside, because the king had ordered the forest to be left alone. Arima had looked completely serious while spouting some superstition, so no one had the courage to call him out on it. Still, just because he deemed the forest safe didn’t mean that nothing interesting ever happened in or outside it. Why, just last week Hideyoshi found an injured bird that fell out of its nest, and the day after that he tended to an sick doe.

Hideyoshi opened the door, excited grin on his face, hoping that he would find a white rabbit instead. Rabbits were his favorite, and it was both fortunate and unfortunate that he has yet to get a chance to take care of one. However, the distressed neighing on the other side could only mean that it was a horse.

Mouth opening in surprise, Hideyoshi ran to the bloody figure, heart lurching in his chest as he searched for any signs of life. It wasn’t a rabbit, and Hideyoshi fervently and _desperately_ wished that it had been so, because try as he might, he couldn’t find a heartbeat.

“ _Kaneki_ ,” the blond called, voice cracking and shaking with fear. The figure didn’t move, and the panic gripping Hideyoshi only tightened its hold. He wanted to shake him, but Hideyoshi didn’t want to decrease whatever chance the prince had of making it through.

“K-Kaneki, hey! Milord, please respond!”

Should he call for help? But no, shaking his head, Hideyoshi slotted his mouth against Kaneki’s to give him air. Kaneki was different, and a human doctor could only make things worse. Furthermore, if Kaneki would make it through, he might just be sentenced to die for being what he is. Hideyoshi’s hands hovered hesitantly over Kaneki’s bloody chest. What if his ribs were already cracked? Hideyoshi was out of his depth here, and he had no idea how much damage human strength could deal to someone like-

Hideyoshi’s breath hitched and his eyes widened at how stupid he was being.

_Of course._

In the blink of an eye, Hideyoshi cut his hand with his dagger and placed it above Kaneki’s open mouth. Gasping in pain, the blond waited for several seconds to let the wound heal. After a minute passed, Hideyoshi threw his dagger on the ground in frustration, tears unwillingly escaping at the corner of his clenched eyes. It wasn’t working… _why_ wasn’t it working?

He should have called for help earlier. It didn’t matter anymore, and Hideyoshi prepared to deal with the consequences. His presumptuousness might have just killed their prince, the least he could do was be punished for it. Moving to stand up, Hideyoshi froze in shock as a pale hand weakly grasped his wrist. Hideyoshi swallowed against the lump in his throat and forced himself to look down.

Brown eyes, wide with disbelief, was met with smiling grey ones.

“That’s the first time you called me by name,” Kaneki rasped as the corner of his lips pulled up in a lopsided smirk. Hideyoshi wanted to smack him, and he opened his mouth to tell Kaneki that it would never happen again, but what came out was-

“You fool.” Losing his strength, Hideyoshi fell to his knees, gasping for air as relief surged through him. The hand that was barely holding on was grasped in a shaking but firm hold. Hideyoshi knew his hold was too tight, but Kaneki wasn’t complaining, and there was no way he was letting go anytime soon. “What do you think you’re doing? Showing up all bloody and barely alive. It’s unbecoming of a prince!”

Kaneki squeezed his hand. “Forgive me, this shall not happen again.”

Hideyoshi sniffed disdainfully, voice water even as he replied coolly. “It better not.” A pause. “…you worried me. I thought-“

He was cut off by Kaneki coughing out blood. Hideyoshi froze as his eyes wandered over the unhealed wounds that littered all over Kaneki’s body. “It didn’t work. How do I make this better?”

“You can’t,” Kaneki answered him bluntly, eyes closing in lethargy. “Just let me rest, and I shall be fine.”

Breathing sharply, Hideyoshi shook him awake. “No, you’ll die at this rate! Tell me what to do!” Truth be told, Hideyoshi already had an idea, but he wanted Kaneki to confirm it, because otherwise he’d be wasting precious time. That wasn’t something either of them had the privilege to lose.

Kaneki sat up with a groan and gestured to the wall. Uncaring of the blood, Hideyoshi wound an arm around his body, so he could hold him up, and slowly they made their way to the wall where Kaneki slid down as soon as the blond released him. Suddenly glad that no guard ever went out there, Hideyoshi picked up the dagger he had thrown and knelt in front of Kaneki as he gripped the other man’s chin gently in his hand.

Sighing softly, Kaneki let his head fall against the wall with a thud. “I need to eat,” he admitted and continued hesitantly. “Go to the executioner and tell her that the prince is asking for her due.”

Hideyoshi blinked at him, mind whirring in confusion, and then, like a puzzle piece slotting in place, it clicked. Why Kaneki was so near the execution chamber the first night they met and Touka’s unusual warning… it was all because she knew, and not only that, it seemed like she had been the one proving him with sustenance.

Hideyoshi could only nod as he removed his cloak to wrap it around Kaneki. “I’ll be right back, your majesty.” The blond couldn’t even make a joke about how glad he was that Touka could provide Kaneki meat, because there was no way that he would. They both knew it was a lie. Hideyoshi easily swung up on Kaneki’s horse as if he had been riding all his life, and Kaneki had to appreciate the grace in which he did.

However… getting the meat was easier said than done.

Hideyoshi breathed out harshly, brows furrowing in annoyance at Touka’s continued refusal. He didn’t plan for this kind of delay, and his heart lurched painfully at the thought of the prince who was freezing, hurt and alone outside the palace. Some part of him wanted to force the answer out of her, but she was his friend, and he wasn’t going to let that kind of betrayal force them apart. _Although_ , the blond thought sullenly, _Touka was doing a good job of that_.

“Touka, _please_ ,” Hideyoshi tried once more. “Get the meat already. He’s very injured right now, and I can’t handle any delays.”

“ _No_! Don’t you _see_?” Touka argued as she wrung her hands together, pacing back and forth in front of him. “This is our chance! I’m well aware that he is a prince, Hideyoshi, but he Is also a _monster_. We can finally get rid of him without anyone suspecting us!”

Hideyoshi shook his head and put an arm out to stop the girl from further wearing down the floor. “I gave him my cloak, and I’m covered in his blood,” he pointed out. “I’m pretty much the only suspect if they find him dead.”

Touka stared at him, considering it, and Hideyoshi almost felt triumphant until Touka scoffed at him. “Tell the king you found him, and that you wanted to call for help but the prince didn’t want to draw attention to himself and sent you to get the doctor. However, after searching the whole castle to tell the prince that the doctor is nowhere to be found, you are already too late, and he is already dead. The prince’s tragic death caused _no change_ at all to occur in the kingdom, and a girl and a boy could finally sleep peacefully at night, content with the knowledge that they had rid the world of one more monster.”

Hideyoshi stepped back, feeling sick. He could picture it perfectly, and her scenario was so realistic it left him feeling a little unbalanced. The worst thing about it all was the fact that Hideyoshi knew it would work.

_It would work, and Kaneki would be dead._

“They would believe you,” Touka said quietly, stating a fact Hideyoshi already knew. “They would probably reward the doctor for not being there.”

“No,” Hideyoshi grounded out forcefully. “Give me the meat, Touka.”

Touka glared at him, her eyes burning with fury. “Why? Why are you being stubborn about this?"

“I can’t let him die.”

“And I’m asking you, why?!”

Memories flashed through Hideyoshi’s mind. The various times he’d seen Kaneki smile at him and Hinami, the rare moments when the prince would lower his guard, and that time when he had managed to do the one thing no one had ever done before; he managed to calm down Hideyoshi who was in the middle of a panic attack. Hideyoshi didn’t even realize that he was smiling until he weakly grinned at Touka.

“Just because.”

* * *

As he handed Kaneki his package and watched as the other tore through it hungrily, he couldn’t help but remember Touka’s words as she bid him goodbye.

_“I hope you know what you’re doing.”_


	4. W

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, guys! Okay, so last week someone has been commenting about how the story and the pair sucks. I tried not to let it bother me too much, but I’ve never really received such blatant hate before, so I didn’t really know how to deal with it. I felt so insecure that I considered not posting new chapters altogether. BUT, and I am eternally grateful to you all, others have defended me and complimented the story when I was debating with myself. If it weren’t for you guys I would have felt really down.
> 
> Now, for the people who really genuinely hate this please just keep it to yourself. I’d feel better if you were pointing out my grammatical errors or plot holes, but all you’re doing is bashing. And honestly? I’m a college student with piles of homework and research to do as well as my personal problems to deal with. I don’t need this kind of crap in my life.
> 
> So sorry for the long rant!
> 
> P.S This chapter is the longest so far because I’m a dumbass that can’t divide the content equally.
> 
> P.P.S ALSO I KNOW I SAID I WAS GOING TO POST THIS ON THURSDAY, LAST WEEK, BUT I UNDERESTIMATED HOW MUCH MY DEBUT PARTY AND SCHOOL WORK WAS GOING TO KEEP ME BUSY. I’M SOZ.

Kaneki fell asleep as soon as he finished eating, and Hideyoshi was left staring in bewilderment as the prince fell unceremoniously on the ground.  Cursing to himself, the blond heaved him up against the wall with effort. As he placed a shaking hand on the other’s shoulder, Hideyoshi noted with satisfaction that some of the wounds have already healed.

“What a fool,” the blond advisor rasped, shame rippling through him when his voice cracked. ‘He barely has any armor on.”

That only meant that Kaneki came from somewhere he deemed safe enough, a place he did not expect to be ambushed, but then again... _that_ group was everywhere. Hideyoshi adjusted his grip with a frown. Even without the armor, the prince was quite heavy, and Hideyoshi would count himself lucky if not for the blood-soaked garment Kaneki was wearing. The blond then swung the prince’s arm around his shoulder and slowly stood up, mindful of Kaneki’s head hanging listlessly.

Hideyoshi _hated_ it.

He hated being unable to ask questions, hated that Kaneki was hurt, and he absolutely _loathed_ the fact that he didn’t know who caused it. Hideyoshi was a strategist, but it was impossible to defeat an enemy he was already running away from.

**_Why must they ruin everything?!_ **

Fury shot through him like an arrow, and the blond barely held back from snarling in anger. His grip on the prince’s hip tightened in distress even if he was careful not to jostle him too much as they climbed up a secret staircase to his room. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision when Hideyoshi asked the king to build it and he had only sighed in relief when Arima accepted his paranoia as reason enough. Had he questioned it, though, Hideyoshi would not have hesitated to lie through his teeth and give every reasonable excuse that passed through his brain.

Hideyoshi liked to plan and he wanted to have an out if the kingdom ever found out about him. He _needed_ a backup plan in case everything he built were to fall apart. Breath slightly elevated, Hideyoshi pulled the limp body firmer on his side and opened the door to his room. With a sigh of relief, he carefully laid the prince down on the bed and popped his bones back in place. The blond couldn’t help but stare, and looking at Kaneki sprawled on the white sheets, completely covered in blood, was like looking at a blood-red rose left on the snow.

Dying, and yet still so very beautiful.

Hideyoshi squared his shoulders and held back another sigh as deft fingers pulled his dagger from its holster and sliced through the prince’s clothing in one clear swoop. Kaneki might get mad later, but honestly, the blond didn’t care anymore. It was easier to see his wounds like this, the red in complete contrast to his milky white complexion.

Hideyoshi frowned at the wounds that still refused to heal and went to his bathroom to grab a bucket full of water and a clean rug. He didn’t know a lot about Kaneki’s kind or rather, he knew nothing about Kaneki’s kind, but he was confident he could take care of him. His proficiency in self-medication was a level that could only be achieved through years of practice, and the blond intended to fully take advantage of it. Hideyoshi gently wiped the blood off the prince then wrapped him in bandages. Finally done, the advisor crossed the room to rummage through his closet and find something comfortable enough to wear. Changing quickly, he came back to Kaneki’s side in a matter of minutes, white undergarment in hand, and carefully clothed the prince with it after disposing of the bloodied sheet.

Glancing at the sleeping figure one more time, Hideyoshi gathered the garments into his arms and left the room the way they came. He then headed to where he found Kaneki, dumped what he was holding on the horse’s back and led it towards the stables. Aside from the guards guarding the entrance, no one sane would be there at this time of the night.

Hideyoshi fixed the garments slightly so no hint of red could be seen once he caught sight of the stables. The guards looked at him once and nodded before going back to their positions. Hideyoshi breathed in sharply once he was in, relief making his heart go haywire. He placed the garments on the ground and locked the horse in its cage. Hideyoshi gathered a dozen firewood in his arms and sneaked out to the back.

After the bonfire was in position, Hideyoshi stared at it, feeling like something was missing. Smacking his forehead, Hideyoshi hurried back inside to retrieve the garments. Without further ado, he threw them to the bonfire and relished the way the flames lapped at the garments, clearing any evidence of an attack.

Kaneki wouldn’t care, but without the garments, Hideyoshi could continue believing that nothing was amiss, that nothing would change and the chess pieces haven’t been moved again. The guards at the entrance came running when the fire became large enough, but the blond waved them away with a grin. “No danger here, gentlemen,” he said, sheepishly rubbing his cheek. “I’m just getting rid of old clothing. Return to your stations.” The guards left with a deep furrow in their brows, and even though they did not believe him, Hideyoshi was confident that they would not speak a word about this.

The advisor stayed with only his thoughts for the company until the fire was dead and everything was turned to ash. He was tired, but the adrenaline in his system left him feeling jittery. Hideyoshi _could_ go back to his room, but the sight of the sleeping prince will only ruin the illusion of normalcy, and that was something he was still not prepared to accept.

Sighing, Hideyoshi headed to the royal courtyard.

It was a beautiful place filledCalla Lilies, Snow Drops, Lavenders, and Hydrangeas. They were unusual and different from the usual roses Hideyoshi saw in other places, but the queen had insisted and Arima simply didn’t care enough to fight back. However, what Hideyoshi loved the most was the huge oak tree right at the center. It was framed by long trunk benches on all sides, and when he was dismissed or simply resting, he would spend his time there with a good book.

Hideyoshi had not set foot in it after the queen died.

Akira was kind to him, and Hideyoshi had gotten her killed. The place was vibrating with her presence, and the flowers were a product of her thoughts. It was painful being so reminded of what he deprived their kingdom of, but it had been three years already, and Hideyoshi would have to face his deed someday. _No time like the present, after all_. Which is why he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was to find Urie there.

The prince’s eyes flickered to him, assessing, before going back to the stars. Behind him was his personal servant. A boy about his age with dark hair and an eyepatch over his right eye. Aside from that, though, there was nothing special about him. Timid, almost to a fault. The few times Hideyoshi had encountered the lad, he had stuttered and bowed so deep the blond was worried he was going to break something.

Like then.

The boy’s eyes widened and after deeply bowing to both of them, hurriedly left the premises. Hideyoshi watched him leave and held himself back from calling out. Going to the courtyard was exhausting enough, and Hideyoshi did not want to add ‘emotional backstory’ in his mental list of mishaps for the day. However, he continued walking and the nearer he got to Urie, the more his anxiety increased.

_No time like the present,_ he repeated, fists clenched at his sides to stop them from shaking. Besides, if he were to put it off one more day, Hideyoshi might never get the chance to talk and apologize.

When he finally reached Urie, Hideyoshi sat a couple feet away and waited. It already took almost all of his will power to just get there, so if he tried to talk, what was going to come out of his mouth was a strangled noise.  Luckily, the prince was not as hesitant.

“It was not your fault,” Urie said, still staring at the night sky, and the unspoken ‘stop blaming yourself’ hung in between them. Hideyoshi flinched in surprise and turned to look at him with wide eyes.

“What?”

“You have not smiled in our presence ever since she died,” the prince stated and Hideyoshi felt like he had been punched as the air left his body. Every nerve screamed at him to run. What had he been _thinking?_ He wasn’t ready for this! Just as he was about to stand up and say his goodbye, Urie continued, “I understand why you cannot face the king… but why can you not face me as well?”

The blond gulped. Urie didn’t understand. Although Akira was a great queen, there was simply no love between her and Arima. The kingdom needed an heir, and Akira was a perfectly legible princess.It was true that he failed his king when he failed to protect her, but it was Urie he had robbed of his mother and friend.

Hideyoshi had always been soft when it came to familial relationships.

“I took them both from you,” he said, body coiled so tightly as if ready to snap. “I couldn’t protect her, and others died because of it. It was all my fault.” Hideyoshi couldn’t look at him, but he felt the prince’s gaze burning the side of his face. He clenched his jaw. Urie will never know what he truly meant. He would only assume that Hideyoshi blamed himself for her death and never think that Hideyoshi was being literal.

It was all because of him.

He could still remember with clarity what happened on that day. Akira had called him to her room to discuss Yoshimura’s proposal when he was suddenly sliced from behind. Akira screamed his name and moved forward to help when Hideyoshi crumbled to her feet. Everything was fuzzy and blurry, but he could hear well enough how her screams turned into choked gasps as the sound of flesh being cut echoed through the room followed by high pitched laughter. He remembered, as if it had been yesterday, how helpless he was through it all.

Not privy to his thoughts, Urie simply scoffed at him, nose rising in the air. “It was Yoshimura who killed Shirazu, and it was I who led the attack against the king’s order.”

It had been easy from what Hideyoshi heard after he woke up, disoriented and confused. The guards – _Akira’s_ guards who had gone missing when the attack happened – found him barely holding on to life with the dead queen a few feet away. They called for help, and Arima himself came to the kingdom to discuss the murder. Hideyoshi did not know the details of what transpired between the two kings, but he was told that he was removed from Yoshimura’s care and transferred to the palace following Arima’s visit because the latter severed the alliance between them. Arima’s people were, understandably, furious. It took no time at all for Urie to gather the soldiers loyal to the queen and stage an attack. Yoshimura’s kingdom was small compared to Arima’s and they won with only a small number of casualties.

A heavy silence descended upon them, but Hideyoshi welcomed it. It was refreshing compared to the awkward and tense silence that accompanied them when they were alone. The oppressing silence was good. It was great.

A while later, Urie left but not without nodding once at Hideyoshi’s way. Hideyoshi beamed at him and watched his back until it disappeared. When it did, his smile fell.

Hideyoshi stood up with a heavy heart as he looked around the courtyard. He should have never gotten attached, and it was with a slight frown that he made his way to Kaneki’s room. The prince would want to wear his own clothes once he woke up, and even if he didn’t, Hideyoshi’s clothes were a little too tight for him.

The blond appreciated the sight, but the clothes limited Kaneki’s movements too much. If they were suddenly attacked, his clothes would not be the reason for Kaneki getting hurt.

The advisor expected Kaneki’s room to be free of personal belongings and filled only with necessities like a bed, a desk and a closet, similar to his. After opening the door, though, he could only stare in shock at the interior. A wall-length bookshelf took the entirety of the right wall and before it was a cozy looking arm chair. Kaneki’s bed was placed at the upper left corner which provided a great view of the entire room. Beside the bed was a closet larger than Hideyoshi’s own.

Laughing, the blond closed the door behind him and moved towards the bookshelf. Of course. _Of course, Kaneki would try his hardest to live in a library,_ he mused as he plucked out one of the old books on the shelf. However, he underestimated its weight, and the book slipped from his grasp. It fell to the floor with a thud, and some of the pages flew out, decorating the carpeted floor.

Alarmed, Hideyoshi hurriedly gathered the pages and stuffed them back in the book. He was about to return it when a particular colorful page peaked out. Hesitation and curiosity pulled at him from opposite sides, but it was only a page and, surely – the blond reasoned to himself as he took it out – Surely, Kaneki would put something valuable in a place not so easily found.

Hideyoshi’s breath hitched, and he became painfully aware of his heart thudding in his chest as he resisted the strong urge to tear the paper to pieces. If Arima were to find out that Kaneki was still holding on to a painting of Yoshimura and his royal guards, he could be branded as a traitor. He glanced at the paper in his hand, jaw clenched tightly.

Should he burn it…? It would be _so_ easy, after all, but- No.

Hideyoshi had done enough meddling, and it was better to not get involved more deeply. Mouth dry, he placed it back inside the book and shoved it into the lowest part of the shelf. Kaneki would be suspicious at the change of location, but it was way better than being in the _center_. His chest grew tight, and he felt an irrational stab of anger. Kaneki was just _begging_ for it to be found. Shaking, Hideyoshi walked to the closet to get what he came for in the first place, fully ready to put the whole experience behind him.

Clothes in hand, Hideyoshi returned to his own room. Kaneki was still asleep, but he wasn’t too worried. After all, the prince was from a different species. Maybe they were slow to regenerate after a fast one. Still, it was frustrating that he could ask no one about it, and the only person who could answer him was dead to the world.

Hideyoshi placed the clothes on the bedside table then slumped against the side of the bed, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. He would have to leave once Kaneki awoke. It was sad since he had grown attached to the kingdom, but the blond didn’t want to do anything concerning _them_ and their _plans_. Eyes dropping, Hideyoshi’s head fell back to rest on the bed. He was so tired of everything, so tired of running away. It was only the consequences of being caught that pushed him.

Hideyoshi really did not want to leave Kaneki, though.

And it was with that thought that he gave into the warm embrace of slumber.

* * *

Blinking groggily, Hideyoshi groaned as he sat up to rub his aching neck. Sleeping on the ground was in no way comfortable, but he figured he should get used to it again. He held onto the bed for support as his sleeping limbs woke up. When he turned to check on the prince, half of him expected the other to be staring at him, an amused smile dancing on his lips. However, no such sight greeted him.

Hideyoshi frowned, but he dismissed the pang of worry as soon as it came. Kaneki would probably wake up later, and at least, this way he had time to prepare.He hollowly made his way to his closet to retrieve a well-hidden rucksack, obviously worn down by time. Some of his garments were already inside, but Hideyoshi had put them there almost two years ago. He constantly checked if Kaneki was awake as he replaced the content. When he was finished, he threw it on the side of the bedside table.

Standing in the center of his room, Hideyoshi was at lost for what to do. He wanted to say goodbye, but that would be too dramatic, and Hideyoshi wanted his departure to be as simple as possible. Still… He should probably see Touka and let her know he was still alive, but Hideyoshi wasn’t sure if she wanted to see him or if he even wanted to see her. Last night’s events were still fresh in his mind, her words still echoing in his ears. He knew he was being unfair. After all, she did not know about the odd friendship that had developed between him and Kaneki.

However, just because she did not know didn’t mean her words hurt any less.

Sighing -  he seemed to be doing that a lot lately – Hideyoshi began to write Touka a letter.He was about to disappear from her life forever. The least he could do was say his goodbye. After he had signed it, the blond placed it inside his drawer. The guards would eventually find it once they searched his room, but Hideyoshi would be long gone by then.

The advisor cleaned himself up and changed into fresh clothing before attending to his daily duties. When he came back that afternoon, Kaneki was still asleep, and the small worry that passed him earlier soon became a dreadful pit at the bottom of his stomach that refused to be ignored. It was accompanied by something, though. Something that Hideyoshi was loathed to name and acknowledge.

He felt relieved.

As long as the prince was still asleep, he didn’t have to leave. He could still stay in the castle, stay by Kaneki’s side, unconscious it may be. It was disgustingly selfish, but Hideyoshi never claimed to be a saint. However, his concern was a lot stronger, a lot louder, and it almost completely drowned the relief.

Almost.

Huffing to himself and his brows furrowing in annoyance, Hideyoshi looked over Kaneki’s injuries once again. Doing so did not do anything to ease the tension pouring out of him in waves. Every injury had already healed, and even his skin was going back to its normally pale complexion. He did not look like he was on the verge of death anymore, so why was he still not waking up?

Hideyoshi bit his lips in agitation as he paced before the bed. He must look like a cornered animal, but he just hated feeling so helpless! He wanted to help Kaneki while he still could, but he had no idea how. If only there existed a book on how to take care of your resident man-eating creature.

Hideyoshi carelessly flopped down on his bed by Kaneki’s feet. Sleeping like that, still as death, reminded the blond so much of ‘The Sleeping Beauty’. Now, there was an idea, Hideyoshi mused. If he were to kiss Kaneki, would he wake up?

His heart skipped in his chest. Flushing, Hideyoshi stood up and shook his head rapidly as if doing so would drive the image away. It was a foolish thought, and Hideyoshi laughed at himself in embarrassment for thinking it in the first place. Even if Kaneki could be woken up by a kiss, Hideyoshi was no prince, and he was in hardly any position to save anyone.

Tomorrow, he vowed, if Kaneki was still asleep he would do something about it. Sighing, He went back to his sleeping position on the ground. Some part of him hoped Kaneki would already wake up because Hideyoshi had no idea what he was doing.

Tomorrow, Kaneki was still asleep, and the gnawing pit of his stomach had turned into a pestering itch that permitted every inch of his skin. He was once again pacing the entirety of his room, but Hideyoshi couldn’t help it. If he stayed put for a minute longer, he would spontaneously combust.

An idea was already buzzing around his brain, but it was too idiotic and impulsive to think on further. There was also the fact that Kaneki would kill him on sight if he pulled it off, and there was also the risk that it might not go the way he wanted it to. On the other hand… Hideyoshi recalled the soft fond look that graced the king’s face and stopped dead in his tracks.

_‘Screw it!’_ He thought as he stalked his way into the throne room. He knew that look. He’d seen it in the faces of mothers who gave the only piece of bread they had for their children, seen it in the eyes of fathers who would rather shiver and go cold as they wrapped their garments around their child. Hideyoshi had looked at them in confusion and contempt as his own small hands stole what they were freely giving. He remembered thinking that once the parent is dead, the child would eventually die. No one in that town could survive if they relied on others or if they had people to protect. It was something Hideyoshi learned and slowly grew to accept.

It was something he was going to use to his advantage.

Arima and Urie were talking when Hideyoshi entered, and the blond knelt once he was in front them, much to the duo’s surprise. Choosing his words carefully, Hideyoshi kept his head bowed acting as every bit the lowly servant he was. “Your son needs your help, your highness.”

The king tensed and slowly stood up from his chair, Urie following suit. “What has happened? Rise, Hideyoshi.”

Swallowing audibly, he did and hoped that his eyes were conveying all the worry he was feeling.The prince eyed him suspiciously, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. Hideyoshi figured that Urie would be his biggest problem, since he never really trusted Kaneki, and informing him of Kaneki’s eating habits will in no way lessen that distrust. The blond was risking a lot by telling them about Kaneki, but Hideyoshi has a rather good read on Arima and king or not, the latter would never be able to kill his child.

“The prince… is not exactly like you and me,” Hideyoshi began, watching carefully for any sign of distress or anger. Luckily, he saw none, and like a dam breaking, it all came pouring out of him. Words turned into sentences and sentences turned into paragraphs until he was recalling that night in the woods. He watched with detached horror as Arima’s face turned impassive, as fury morphed into Urie’s face. Hideyoshi knew he should stop, but for the life of him, he could not. Breath labored and shoulder’s heaving, he finished his story.

The atmosphere grew tense, and Hideyoshi stood still as the king stared at him blankly. After a moment, Arima diverted his eyes to gaze sternly at the angry prince beside him, warning him to stay calm. Hideyoshi released a deep breath, feeling like a heavy weight was taken off of his shoulders. Arima stared at him at the sound causing the blond to stiffen once more.

“I am aware.” Arima paused as Hideyoshi struggled for words; feeling like the wind had been knocked out of him. He felt lightheaded as if he could keel over anytime. Ignoring the states he reduced his audience into, Arima continued blithely, “I have always been aware.”

* * *

 

Arima briskly walked to the throne room, hyper aware of the soldiers following his movements. He knew he should not look so intimidating as to put them at ease, but the queen- _his_ queen had just been murdered on foreign land, and his people wanted blood. There was no time to waste.

The king entered the room with a flourish to find Yoshimura’s royal guards arguing over each other. They stopped short at the sight of him, and their hands flew to the hilt of their swords almost unconsciously. The few guards he brought along stiffened, readying themselves for battle as Arima copied the movement, more of an intimidation technique than an actual threat. Yoshimura dismissed them after a tense second, and Arima could tell it was only strict training that dampened their protests. They bowed to him before leaving, spines rigid and fists clenched at their sides. Arima dismissed them, along with his guards, after a moment of staring them down.

The door closed with a loud thud, and then Arima approached Yoshimura, clasping a hand on the older man’s shoulder. The latter wilted under his hand as he finally allowed himself to show his distress. “I did not have Akira killed,” Yoshimura said, eyes beseeching as they stared into Arima’s own. “You must believe me, old friend.”

Arima nodded and let his hand fall to his side. “Something must be done about it. My people are angry, they want justice.”

“They would,” Yoshimura agreed, eyes tight, looking far older and wearier than he should. “I would too if I was in their place.” Arima politely did not mention that Yoshimura _had_ been there, and the latter did not bring it up. “What do you suggest?”

He didn’t beat around the bush and felt only a pang of guilt at the tortured expression that crossed Yoshimura’s face at his next words. “I want the royal guards guarding Akira’s room to be punished. A public execution to appease my people.”

“I refuse.”

Arima stared at him.

“I trust them all with my life, and I know they did not do it.”

Arima heaved a deep sigh. “I am disappointed, but I am not surprised,” he said flatly as he walked towards the doors. “Our alliance is severed, and I will remove Hideyoshi from your care immediately. I will try to control my people… pray it works.”

Before Arima could open the door, though, Yoshimura spoke up. “You are not surprised?”

“If you are willing to take care of a monster, there are not many things you will not do,” Arima replied coldly as he stepped out.

“Kaneki is as human as you and me,” he told him, voice a tad reproachful, making Arima pause. “If something were to happen to me, take care of him, will you?” However, the soft sound of a door closing was his only answer.

* * *

Hideyoshi gaped in disbelief.

Before him, Arima was composed as ever, not a hint of worry or agitation in his gray eyes. Little ways behind him stood Urie, glaring at Arima in what could only be called as a betrayal. The blond didn’t blame him. It was a relief to know that Arima and he were on the same side, so he could only imagine what someone who never felt anything other than suspicion and mild concern for Kaneki was feeling.

“We will have to hold a meeting once Kaneki is awake. It is abnormal that he is still asleep since he should regenerate easily,” Arima informed him, and a contemplative look that did nothing to ease the turmoil within Hideyoshi crossed over his features. Turning to the blonde, he said, “Kaneki must have a way to sustain himself, and I am assuming that you are aware of it. I order you to take care of him.”

Stunned, Hideyoshi could only bow as low as his body allowed. It was not how he had expected the conversation to go at all, and very little things surprised him. Shaking his head in exasperation, he headed out of the throne room, only to pause by the large doors. He turned back to look at Arima, only to find that the king was in a heated discussion with his son. Holding back his tongue, Hideyoshi went outside.

He had not expected to be let off the hook, but whatever the king’s reason was, Hideyoshi was not going to question it. So his majesty was feeling merciful, who was he to question that? Hideyoshi was about to break out into relieved laughter when the sound of heavy footsteps on the stone ground reached him. Immediately tensing, Hideyoshi turned around a hand already on the hilt of his dagger and came face to face with Urie.

“I can understand why my father wishes to protect that _thing_ ,” Urie spat, “but why are _you_ siding with _it_?”

“Kaneki is no harm to anyone,” Hideyoshi answered, perhaps a bit too defensively for he was unsettled at the unusually angry visage of his normally calm friend. 

The prince glared at him. “ _Lies!”_ he hissed, venom in his voice and acid on his tongue. “What portion of the _man-eating_ _beast_ do you not understand? He is _monster_ , and yet-“

Eyes flashing, a surge of fury welled in Hideyoshi’s chest as he bared his teeth angrily. “Perhaps-” he began softly. “Perhaps, there is no difference between a creature who has no choice but to eat human meat in order to survive and a human who has killed countless of innocent lives for revenge.”

Urie recoiled back as if Hideyoshi had struck him, a look of horror and pain painted on his face. The prince breathed in sharply before turning around and briskly walking away. The blond stared at his retreating back as guilt settled comfortably on his heart. He crossed the line, but if he were to chase after him, he was sure the prince will cut him on sight.

Shoulders dropping, Hideyoshi headed to the stables, the warm feeling in his chest gone and replaced by anxiety. First, he ignored Touka for days, and now he used his prince’s deepest insecurity against him.  Furthermore, after a period of silent treatment, he would finally approach his best friend not to make up, but because of an order from the king.

Scum. He was just a disgusting piece of trash.

Hideyoshi wrestled with the oppressive feeling that was eating him alive as he saddled the horse. Gripping the reins tightly in one hand, he set off to the execution chamber.

* * *

Hideyoshi stared at the sleeping figure with bated breath. It was dead silent in his room, and the blond was positive that he would be able to hear his heart if not for the loud pounding of the rain outside. His talk with Touka had gone as well as it could, and Hideyoshi wasted no time feeding Kaneki the meat he got from her. It that remedy still would not work, then he would truly be at loss for what to do. Arima was the only one who had more knowledge than him about Kaneki, and even his was limited.

He sat on the edge of the bed, muscles tense. The rain poured mercilessly, and it took all of Hideyoshi’s will power not to flinch violently at the sound. Grimacing, he stood up to close the window as goose bumps erupted on his skin from the cold gust of the wind that was blowing when it happened.

Kaneki stirred, and Hideyoshi watched on hopefully as a finger twitched, followed soon by another and another until the prince was groaning in his sleep. The blonde was at his side in an instant, and a hand hovered between their bodies as Kaneki’s eyes snapped open.

Smiling gently, Hideyoshi allowed his hand to finally reach out and brush the prince’s hair out of his eyes. Kaneki leaned into his touch, eyes fluttering close as he relaxed under the advisor’ ministrations. “Welcome back to the land of the living, your highness.”

Kaneki hummed softly and opened his eyes as he sat up. His eyes did a quick survey of the room, before it fell on the scenery outside the window. “It’s raining,” he stated and sent a smile at Hideyoshi just a thunder cracked overhead and a flash of lightning illuminated the room.

Hideyoshi waited for the white flash to fade from his eyes, and when it was gone, he was no longer in his chamber. Kaneki was gone, and suddenly, he was breathing deeply and running as fast as his tiny feet could carry him. Small hands clutched a small piece of bread tighter to his chest as he passed by rows of people sleeping on the alleyway. The ground was slippery, and the rain continued to pour down, enveloping him in a cold embrace. However, as loud as the rain was, it could not drown out the screams and curses behind him. He could still clearly hear above the thunder the sound of feet slapping heavily against the asphalt floor. The blond boy was running out of breath, and yet they continued to pursue him. His vision dimmed, and he crashed to the ground, wincing as pain rippled through him because of the impact. Cursing to himself, Hideyoshi shot to his feet, fully aware that a second of weakness could cause him his life.

He was right.

A kick from behind sent him careening in a pile of trash. His eyesight blurred even more, but he could still make out groups of people watching him from their respective places in the alley. Hideyoshi knew not one of them would lift a finger to help, though. His piercing cries as they punished him decorated the alley, his blood splattered on the walls like art, and yet not one paused to take notice of the view. No one ever did.

Blinking, Hideyoshi shook himself out of his reverie and found Kaneki’s gray eyes watching him carefully. “Are you all right?” he asked, brows furrowed. “You’re shaking like a leaf.”

“As well as I could be, my lord. I am just not very fond of the rain,” he replied, laughing nervously. “Shall I close the window?”

Kaneki raised a brow at his remark and his lips twitched upwards in a small smile. The sight of it almost distracted the blond. “If you insist. I, on the other hand, hold this weather close to my heart. It is attached to fond memories.”

“Memories?”

The prince nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, you see, it was raining heavily the day Yoshimura took me in. I would have frozen to death had he not found me.”

And this, Hideyoshi realized was the perfect opportunity to question the prince about the hidden portrait in his bedroom. But the prince, looking so relaxed and happy as he gazed outside, was a sight the blond was completely unwilling to disrupt. It might be the last time he would see it, after all. On the other hand, there were important things to discuss. “Kaneki…” he murmured, delighting in the way said man snapped to attention. It was addicting, how those gray eyes could zero and focus on you. “May I ask what happened? You have been asleep for two days because of wounds that would have killed any normal human…”

“…it would be better if you did not know,” the prince replied, averting his gaze. “Where are my garments, Hideyoshi? I must seek counsel with the king.”

Hideyoshi sputtered in indignation even as he handed the folded clothes. “I could _help._ ”

“Please,” Kaneki whispered, “do not get involve. Do not do anything stupid, and leave the matter to me. I can- I _will_ handle it. Just trust me, so you will not be in any more danger. It would be better if you had not found me… nursing me back to help is like a declaration of war. They would see it as a personal offense, so, please. Do not involve yourself further, and just _let me protect you.”_

Hideyoshi’s eyes widened and he felt equal parts terrified and warm. For most of his life, Hideyoshi was fighting for survival, fighting for himself. The few decent people he met in his hometown all said the same thing. Only the strong survived. The weak starved, and the weak died. His experiences told him to keep fighting, to never turn his back on anyone, and to mistrust everybody. One had to risk everything for something, and no one ever was worth anything. Purple bruises on his body taught him how to survive, how to fight and kill, and how to never give up and Kaneki… Kaneki wanted to _protect_ him? This- this pretentious prince who had no idea what Hideyoshi was capable of doing wanted to keep him safe. It was laughable and utterly disdainful. He was offended that Kaneki thought him so weak, so why… why did he feel like crying? Why did it feel like his heart was about to burst from his chest?

Something hot coursed through him, leaving behind warmth in its wake. It was a feeling he was unaccustomed to, and he wanted it gone. It was abnormal and alien, and he…

_He shouldn’t be this happy._

Tears sprung at the corner of his eyes, and he could only nod as Kaneki changed out of his clothes. The white-haired man smiled softly at him and said before leaving, “Just leave everything to me, Hideyoshi. I will protect you.”

Laughing contemptuously, he wiped the tears away. It was really unfortunate for Kaneki, but he was never one for following orders.

Hideyoshi was no knight. Never have been and never will be, but that was okay. Perhaps he could be one of the less important characters that would point the knight in the right direction and help save the day. Perhaps, it was not too late to help the prince in this story.

* * *

When Kaneki woke up to find a blond figure leaning over him, he honestly thought he had gone to heaven. When his senses cleared, and the figure was revealed to be Hideyoshi, a flash of disappointment struck him. It was sudden, and the emotion left him feeling shameful and unfit to be a prince. However, the advisor’s warm hand brushing his hair washed away everything, grounding him to the present.

He had to tell Arima as soon as possible, though, and with much hesitance, he made his way to the throne room after closing Hideyoshi’s bedroom door gently behind him.

The advisor did not try to stop him, and Kaneki had an inkling that it was because of the words he had uttered. For him, Hideyoshi was like the sun; warm, unattainable and completely unaware of its own beauty and blinding magnificence.

Kaneki did not think about how much it hurt, how much he felt like vomiting at the thought of betraying his comrades as waltzed in the throne room. He couldn’t afford to care for them, not when they had no qualms about killing him. They would attack soon, he was sure of it, and when they would, everyone in the palace would be in danger. The king, Hinami, and… Hideyoshi. Clenching his fingers, he moved towards his father, whose eyes widened slightly at the sight of him. He had very few people he cared for, and Kaneki would die first rather than have a repeat of what happened before.

“I was attacked in the 13th town,” he said bluntly, “by soldiers that escaped the attack on Yoshimura’s kingdom.”

“I was right. Then, we shall attack in a week’s time.”

A week? A week was too long! They weren’t simply dealing with soldiers here. His comrades in the royal guard were as strong as he was. They had three years to plan for an attack, and they probably knew the kingdom inside and out. If they were to find out that Hideyoshi healed and knew about him, they would target the blond. “ _No_ ,” Kaneki snapped, sharper than he intended. “We cannot wait that long! They have numbers on their side, and they would attack as soon as they confirm or even consider the possibility of my survival. I am surprised they even waited this long, but I can assure his majesty that they would not wait for a moment longer. And when they finally do attack, we would be waiting here like lambs for slaughter.”

The soft sound of the door closing echoed behind him, and Kaneki whirled around to face Urie. His normally blank face was twisted with anguish, and Kaneki read the question his eyes were screaming. “They want revenge for the destruction of ou- their kingdom.”

Urie gritted his teeth, shame painting his features and walked away. Both of them watched him go, and even though Kaneki felt a slight urge to reach out, Urie could wait.

“Attacking without preparation would be reckless. I will not send my men to die when we could limit our casualties.” Arima paused and considered Kaneki. “Perhaps we should continue this discussion later. I would like to hear Hideyoshi’s thoughts on the matter.”

The prince tensed, a reaction that did not go unnoticed judging by the sharp glint that entered the king’s eyes. “…I told him to rest, seeing as he was the one who took care of me.” Hideyoshi did not tell him or even hint at it, but it was the only logical conclusion. It was the blond who found him, and it was in his room he woke up to. Furthermore, no one aside from the executioner and Hideyoshi knew of Kaneki’s unique… physiology.

He would have to thank the blond later.

“…I see. However, I still cannot accept your proposal. We will increase our defenses, and then we shall attack.”

Jaw clenched, Kaneki breathed in deeply. “If so, allow me to scout the towns, your majesty. We would have a higher chance of winning if we know who and how many is on their side.”

“Very well,” Arima agreed, nodding. “I shall call for Matsuri and Amon. Fetch your brother and let us meet in the strategy room.” Kaneki turned to leave, only to be stopped by the king’s hesitant voice. “I am… glad you have found a friend in Hideyoshi.”

Smiling, Kaneki left the throne room and tracked down Urie. The other man would not appreciate it, especially since it would come from Kaneki, but he needed to know that not one of them blamed him for what happened with Yoshimura’s kingdom. It was true that Urie was the catalyst, the power that pushed everyone, but getting revenge was a unanimous decision, and the prince should not carry that burden alone.

* * *

Hideyoshi was exhausted.

The blond discarded his cloak and threw it on the bed, his body immediately following. He was hungry, tired, and he desperately wanted to see Kaneki before he left. He eyed the rucksack now sitting on the bedside table and winced. Three quick raps on his door had him scrambling upright, and not a second later, it opened to reveal Kaneki.

The prince’s smile faltered at his state, and Hideyoshi really couldn’t blame him. He must look like he was on the verge of dying, and after what he did; it didn’t really seem like that big a stretch.  Kaneki approached him, and Hideyoshi scooted over to make some room.

“I am leaving to scout the towns tomorrow,” Kaneki said, staring at a spot above the blond’s shoulder as Hideyoshi continued to stare at him. The prince then met his gaze, his own unyielding and smiled fondly. “While I am gone… I want you to promise me not do anything foolish. I know that would be quite a challenge for you, but-”

“Hey!” Hideyoshi swatted his arm and tried for a smile. He should laugh, he normally would, but Kaneki just presented the perfect opportunity to leave, and nothing had ever made Hideyoshi feel so heartbroken.

Kaneki answered his smile with a serious look. “Promise me, Hideyoshi.”

Heart skipping in his chest, Hideyoshi’s eyes widened. “I- I promise.”

 “Then, I could leave with no worries,” Kaneki told him after studying his expression a moment longer. The prince stood up and walked to the door, satisfaction oozing off him. “I’m afraid I should go since I still have to prepare for tomorrow’s journey. I came only to say goodbye.”

“Wait!” Hideyoshi called as he stood in front of Kaneki. “I want a favor… before you leave.”

Kaneki raised a brow, head tilting slightly to the side as he regarded the blond. “Anything.”

“I want a goodnight kiss,” he answered and stared at the prince determinedly. It was a wish that meant nothing and everything at the same time. Still, it would be the last favor he would ever ask, and it seemed like a fitting one.

A kiss for goodbye.

The prince blinked at him repeatedly, but Hideyoshi only looked on stubbornly. Finally, Kaneki huffed out a laugh and placed a hand behind the blond’s head, smile still firmly in place. “I told you I would give you anything, and you ask for only a kiss.”

Hideyoshi gave his first genuine smile that night and ducked his head, unable to meet Kaneki’s eyes as he answered truthfully, “It is all I want.”

Kaneki hummed in reply and slowly bent down. Hideyoshi squeezed his eye shut and completely surrendered himself to Kaneki’s mercy. His heart was hammering in his chest as vulnerability made the hairs on his skin rise with trust as the only thing keeping him together. The prince could kill him in an instant, and Hideyoshi would never even see it coming. Surprisingly, the thought didn’t bother him as it should have. A begrudging smile danced on his lips.

Dangerous. Kaneki was very, _very_ dangerous.

A pair of lips landed softly on his forehead causing Hideyoshi’s eyes to snap open. Kaneki was staring at him, warmth dancing in his eyes as he spoke, “Thank you for everything. Stay safe.”

“That’s it?” Hideyoshi asked pouting.

Kaneki laughed, and the blond’s heart stilled at the sound before picking up in pace. “Anything more would be inappropriate. Let me court you properly when this is all over.” Kaneki walked out the door and smiled apologetically. “I really must go. Remember your promise, Hideyoshi,” he said before closing the door.

Hideyoshi stared at the closed door and swallowed back a sob as tears fell from his eyes. “You… are also a very cruel man, Kaneki Ken.”

The next day, the palace was in shambles, and Hideyoshi was gone.

* * *

A hooded figure walked down the chaotic street, careful not to bump into anyone. Bandits and thugs littered every corner; children were screaming and jeering left and right, while others tried to blend into the walls. A crash resounded behind him, followed by screaming and cheering as two men tried to kill each other, but the figure paid them no mind.

He continued on his path, gait almost confident, though he kept his head down. It was going well when someone purposely pushed him from behind. The figure, on the other hand, did not pause in his stride and blithely walked on. Pissed, the bandit responsible for the act grabbed his hood back, brandished his knife and opened his mouth to scream profanities. However, what he saw made his blood go cold.

A joker’s face greeted him, and the only thing that was visible was its eyes, and they were a menacing shade of brown. The bandit fell to his knees, the hand holding the weapon went slack, and it cluttered to the floor. The joker snarled in disgust and his hand darted forward, gripping the man’s throat tight enough to cut off his oxygen.

“Where are they?” he hissed, grip loosening when the man clawed at his hands.

“I- I kno-w whe-re-” he pleaded as he turned purple.

The joker lets him go and waited for a few seconds as the man gathered his breath before pulling him to his feet. “Get moving.” And together, they walked on. This time, everyone eyed the stranger with trepidation and respect. They made way for him, but none dared meet his eyes when he turned to look.

The bandit led him to a pub, right in the middle of the town, and gestured to the single stair leading to the basement. The joker dismissed him with a wave of his hand and went down to meet his former comrades. Lounging all over the room and each wearing a mask, they doubled over at the sight of him, faces a mixture of disbelief and joy.

“You’re back!!” one screeched, running over to hug him only to be stopped by a single hand.

“I will be,” the joker agreed, “if you were to agree never to touch this kingdom ever again.”

Someone laughed. “I did not expect you to go soft, Nagachika.”

The one in front of him tilted her head to the side, confusion painted on her face as she placed both arms on her hips. “What are you talking about, Uta? Hideyoshi had always been soft.”

Hideyoshi glared at them and hissed, “Shut it, Itori. Do we have a deal or not?”

A chorus of agreement answered him, and though he was miserable about the situation, relief still coursed through him. Itori hooked an arm around his shoulders and grinned sadistically. “Of course, we agree. What’s one kingdom to a hundred now that we’ve got you back? Donato would be ecstatic to learn that you are here again.”

Of course, he would be. Donato was the reason why Hideyoshi was so sure they would listen to him. The renegade group was like a family, and Donato looked at them all as if they were his children. It just so happened that Hideyoshi was the favorite and run away child. “Ecstatic? He seemed really happy cutting me to get to the queen, though.”

Souta grinned at him mockingly. “What, did it feel like a betrayal, Hideyoshi?” Said man looked at him sharply, causing him to laugh. “Relax, the only reason he did that was to clear you of any suspicion. After all, you were so desperate to live normally.”

And he had. Short as it was, it was all he had.

He continued, “but you know better now, don’t you? You don’t belong with them, and if you go back, Donato will not tolerate betrayal a second time.”

Hideyoshi raised a brow at him and answered arrogantly, “You know I am not scared of death, Souta.”

“Oh, but I wasn’t talking about _you_. What was his name?” Souta asked as he theatrically placed a finger to his lips. “The prince you have taken a liking to? Kaneki Ken, was it? He doesn’t have many friends, and it would be so easy to-”

“ _Don’t you dare!”_ Hideyoshi snarled, hand flying to his dagger. “ _Touch him, and I’ll_ kill _you!”_

“Then don’t leave again,” Souta answered simply, completely relaxed in the face of such a threat. “Because if you do, it will not be I who will kill him, but you.”

Gritting his teeth together, Hideyoshi nodded.

“Okay, then,” Itori said joyfully as she clapped her hands together.   
“Shall we slaughter every bandit in this town before moving on to the next kingdom?” Turning to Hideyoshi, she exclaimed with a grin, “What a treat! A massacre as your welcome back party. Don’t you feel honored?”

“I’m positively _euphoric_ ,” Hideyoshi rasped, mouth dry, as he prepared to sully his hands with blood once more. 

_Be safe, Kaneki._


	5. N

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY THIS IS SO LATE.
> 
> I was so busy with school, and the recent happenings in canon didn't really improve my mood. I'm not gonna stop shipping them, though. Hope you guys enjoy this second to the last chapter. This was supposed to be the last, but I couldn't fit in everything so-
> 
> I'm gonna stop babbling now. Have fun!!

Kaneki ducked and, breathing heavy, broke through the enemy’s defenses and jabbed his sword forward. The bandit crumpled to his feet, but Kaneki didn’t spare him a second glance as he pulled his weapon out and advanced to attack another. There were battles going on around him, and he could see Urie and Amon holding out their own at the corner of his eye. Still, the smell of blood and sweat mixed awkwardly with the fresh forest air, irritating Kaneki’s nose and momentarily distracting him.

Wincing against the onslaught against his senses, Kaneki attacked a group of six bandits huddled at the far back. He could take them, and they seemed important which meant that they knew where Ayato and the others were. Although – Kaneki frowned as he took in their ragged appearance – the rebels didn’t look like they were ready for a fight at all. In fact, they all looked like they were on the verge of collapsing, their eyes muddled with something akin to shock and disbelief.

“Look out!”

The shout snapped him out of his reverie, and Kaneki whirled around, sword raised and at the ready. He was too late, though. The soldier was upon him, spear raised high with his face twisted in nothing other than pure malice. The moment Kaneki turned around, the soldier brought the weapon down, and the prince could only close his eyes as he braced himself for the pain.

It never came.

“Kaneki, do not act so recklessly in battle,” a gruff voice intoned as its owner easily dispatched of the rebel. “You have been different ever since Hideyoshi disappeared, but do not let that cloud your judgment here.”

Nearly snarling at the reminder, Kaneki stood back to back with the other prince as the enemy surrounded them. “Hideyoshi has nothing to do with this, and I am acting as I always have.”

Urie did not bother to reply and, in a count of three, they began to attack. The troops were no match for their combined effort, but his brother’s words were still echoing inside Kaneki’s head, dampening his sense of victory. He felt unbalanced. It was a feeling he often experienced before everything changed. It was like an itch that refused to leave, an echoing drum that continued to reverberate, a feeling that only person had ever given him.

He didn’t know what he would do once he found Hideyoshi – and he will find him – or if was even going to do anything. He was furious and hurt, but that didn’t mean that he would give up on the blond; even if it seemed like the former advisor was a traitor. Everyone in the palace knew of the possibility and some even considered it, but none had the courage to really talk about it. Hideyoshi was well liked by everyone, and they were all hesitant to brand him as a traitor without sufficient proof.

Kaneki clicked his tongue in annoyance as he schooled his expression into a blank mask. They were all just waiting for proof, and once someone presents one, they wouldn’t hesitate at all to bring Hideyoshi down. The blond was well liked, but that also meant that he was very enviable. People who wanted power, who wanted him gone, would have no trouble making something up. It was only because of Kaneki’s continued efforts and investigations that they were found out.

He was still angry, though.

Blood splattered against his cheek as he sliced clean through another rebel. The troops were finally decreasing – not that they were a big number in the first place – and Kaneki and the other soldiers could finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, his gut kept screaming that he was missing something. The enemy’s numbers were too low and their motivation too little. He didn’t feel like he was fighting soldiers out for his blood. It felt like he was fighting soldiers who had fought too many battles and lost so many comrades that the only thing that pushed them was desperation. They weren’t fighting for revenge… they were fighting to live.

Kaneki grabbed a wounded soldier to his feet and slammed him against the trees. “Where are your leaders?”

At the question, the man’s eyes interestingly dimmed and looked as if they were looking through Kaneki rather than at him. “G-gone… Dead. B-betrayed by mo-monsters acting like hu-humans. They promised- they promised…” the voice trailed off, and Kaneki belatedly realized that the man already bled to death.

Scowling, he dropped the body. All his former comrades were gone… a stab of pain coursed through him, and Kaneki clenched his jaw in frustration. He shouldn’t feel so sorry for people who had no qualms betraying and ambushing him. Feeling guilty was not going to bring them back, and it would not erase the fact that they were dead. Not dead – _betrayed_. Ayato was collaborating with a group of people who also wanted to bring the kingdom down and was betrayed.

Monsters acting like humans, huh.

_Hideyoshi brushed Kaneki’s hair away from his face, eyes gentle and voice soft. “Monsters are born in abandoned towns filled with the sick and the dying.”_

Unbidden, the memory came to mind, and Kaneki shivered as he walked towards his comrades. The similarity between their sentences was uncanny, and he hated how unsurprised he was about it. Hideyoshi had always been different, and now Kaneki was finding out how much.

Amon stood up from his crouched position by a fallen soldier’s body when he approached. “They say that their leaders are already dead,” he said. Kaneki nodded, gesturing for him to go on. “It is not wise to trust them, your majesties. This might just be a ploy, and a bigger platoon may be waiting for the right moment to strike against the palace, and we should consider ourselves lucky that we ambushed them so near. Still, this means that they have breached the most secured parts of the kingdom.”

“For now, we shall return to the palace,” Urie ordered. He was cleaning his sword as he sat on a huge boulder, a contemplative look on his face. He stood up as he spoke and returned his sword into its scabbard. “Amon is right. We cannot trust their words.”

The other soldiers saluted as Urie passed them on his way to his horse, and he and Kaneki nodded at each other. Amon strapped his broadsword to his back and bowed deeply. “Then, I shall order the men to mobilize the wounded.”

Urie nodded before running off to patrol the area. Kaneki watched him go as he boarded his horse. Once the bodies were burned and Urie was sure that the coast was clear, they left. They were accompanied by the scorching sun and sweltering heat as they rode home, but none of them minded. Not one of them died in the battle, and the enemy was surprisingly weak. It was a great day, even if it was a little odd, so they had nothing to complain about.

Urie was leading them with Amon at the rear. Kaneki was riding along the wounded soldiers, guarding them against a sudden attack on their sides. The soldiers were quietly muttering to themselves around him, their voices high and excited. Kaneki was sure they would have been talking loudly and laughing happily if it were not for the fact that they were being guided by two unpredictable princes and one strict general.

Ah, well, it was better that way. Sometimes, his reputation truly had benefits. Kaneki was unsure if he could handle the noise that would surely echo around the palace later, but luckily, no one would bat an eye if he would not show up for the party. No one would want him there anyway. Lately, there had been a rumor circulating around that he was the one who massacred the entire 11th town. He didn’t mind, though, since he had an idea who was really behind it. Kaneki would take all the blame if it meant no one would suspect him.

The trees were thinning as they traveled further, and not long after they were walking on a path.  That meant that the trees providing them a reprieve from the burning sun would soon be gone, but it also meant that they were nearing civilization. Kaneki knew people were lined on the streets, waiting for them and expecting victory to be clenched tightly in their hands. They would scream and cheer, completely happy that they got rid of the people threatening their kingdom. No one would stop and think about the dead they left behind, the people who had been killed for the sake of peace.

All of Kaneki’s former comrades were gone to keep the peace in a kingdom he did not even grow up in. A flash of loathing coursed through him at the thought, and it was only years of training that prevented him from flinching on the spot. He did not regret it, but this event would be something that would haunt him forever.

To his surprise, Urie slowed down in front until he was riding side by side with Kaneki.  The crown prince did not say anything, and Kaneki was rather content to ride with him in silence. In fact, he _preferred_ to ride with him in silence since he knew why Urie approached him and he was completely unwilling to breach the topic.

Kaneki missed the days when the dark-haired boy avoided him like the plague. Ever since Kaneki told him that he had already forgiven him for attacking Yoshimura’s kingdom, the latter’s attitude towards him slowly changed. At first, the prince kept track of Kaneki’s whereabouts, and then it got progressively worse as Urie became annoyingly concerned about his _feelings,_ of all things.

“You could have died,” Urie whispered harshly, his hold on the reins tightening in anger. The soldiers on Kaneki’s right side stiffened in interest, but both princes paid them no heed.

Kaneki glanced at him before focusing on the road again. He could already see the outline of the town from where they were, and soon they would be welcomed. Sighing, he turned back to Urie and stared at the prince lazily. “You are aware that a stab like that would not have killed me.”

“Then, you must really be as distracted as I thought you were,” Urie snapped as his eyes narrowed in disapproval. “He was aiming to cut your head clean off your shoulders.” Was he? Kaneki paused, unsure how to reply. A triumphant look crossed over Urie’s face at his hesitance. “You are worried about Hideyoshi. We all are, but dying would be in no way helpful in our search.”

Kaneki scowled. “I understand. Please, return to your post. We are nearing the town, and the villagers would want to see their Prince leading his soldiers with victory in his hands.”

That did the trick, and Urie galloped forward without another word. He might hate crowds, but the prince was not one to deny the presentation of success. Where Kaneki preferred to remain as he was, Urie wanted to conquer and win countless battles in the name of their king. 

Just as Kaneki predicted, they were welcomed with a flourish. The wounded were immediately sent help and not even a few hours later, they were moving again. They passed by various towns, but each one greeted them with smiling faces and voices full of cheer. The soldiers were treated like heroes, the princes worshiped like gods.

It was unsettling.

Their travel was long, and it was already sunset when they crossed the walls surrounding the palace, and instantly, the tension left Kaneki, blown away by the comfort of familiarity. The festivities in the towns zapped away what was remaining of his energy, and he longed for the quietness of solitude to envelop him. Unfortunately, he still had matters to attend to.

 He snuck away as Urie was giving his speech, but he was not as sneaky as he had thought because Amon’s disapproving gaze, burning and completely unwarranted, followed him until he was out of sight.

They had cleaned themselves in the first town they saw, so Kaneki figured that his state was decent enough to hold an audience with the king. The soldiers guarding the throne room bowed in respect, and the prince couldn’t help but note that the action was more genuine than before. Ignoring them, he entered the throne room and stopped dead in his tracks, suddenly cold and feeling as if he was pushed into a freezing lake unsuspectingly.

Arima was conversing with someone, his visage happy and so eager to serve. It reminded Kaneki of a puppy that wanted to please its master.

A dark look crossed his face. “Your highness,” he called out, cutting off their conversation. The brunette startled at the sound and jumped on his position as if electrocuted, and a thrill of satisfaction went through the prince. He glanced at Arima, wondering if he saw the display and realized how pathetic his new advisor was, but the king was merely raising a brow at him, his curiosity evident as he regarded Kaneki. “The rebel forces have been momentarily stopped. I ask that you allow me to continue my search for Hideyoshi.”

The boy – _Takizawa_ , his mind supplied – flinched at the name, but he steadily met Kaneki’s cold gaze. It as if he was saying that he earned his place by staring back, looking at Kaneki as if he _belonged_ there.

Arima looked on and casually ignored as the tension in the room heightened and bordered into dangerous levels. “I am afraid I cannot grant that request,” he said and, ignoring Kaneki’s bristle, continued. “I will have scouts and troops patrol our land, but until then, I need all the manpower I can get.”

“But, after?”

“The Tsukiyamas are seeking to form an alliance with us. They were former allies of Yoshimura, and seeing as you already know them, I’m sending you as an ambassador. They want help with something, but refuse to tell me what it is about.”

Meaning, Arima had no idea if it was dangerous or not which was why he was sending Kaneki and not Urie. The life of the heir to the throne was too precious to risk, but he knew that he could not send a mere scout or general, thus he was going to send Kaneki. A sardonic smile crossed his lips. Apparently, he was important but, at the same time, not important enough.

“Then, leave the negotiations to me,” Kaneki said, and there was a stubborn set to his shoulders that Arima had learned would not go away until he got what he wanted, a steely determination in his eyes that meant he would do what he wanted with or without his approval. “When I solve their problem, we would form an alliance, but the first thing they would do for us is to help me in my search for Hideyoshi.”

Arima nodded curtly, and Kaneki left the throne room without looking back. Before the doors closed behind him, he distinctly heard Takizawa arguing his point about what just happened. Kaneki wished him luck. Arima was as stubborn as he was once he made his decision.

The Prince grabbed the most unostentatious cloak he had as he passed by his room. It was midnight black and the only decoration it had was its golden lining. It still screamed that he was someone of higher standing, but it was less flamboyant than what he was normally required to wear. It didn’t matter what he was wearing, though, since Kaneki had no intention of being seen.

Servants passed him on his way to the stables, and if they took notice of what he was wearing, they did not comment on it. Kaneki was previously sure it was because they feared him, but lately he could see a hint of respect and deference in their gazes.

Kaneki didn’t bother with the saddle and mounted his horse with ease. He wrapped the cloak around him and put the hood up, glad that the absence of the sun was providing him with the best cover he could ask for. Looking around carefully, Kaneki left.

He arrived at his destination in a matter of minutes, and Kaneki chuckled ruefully at the surprise that would surely greet him once he entered the establishment. He had never arrived on time whenever they met up, but he didn’t really expect a travel with no problem. Tying his horse on the side of the building, Kaneki went inside and was immediately assaulted by the stench of blood and food.

The lone figure in the room was cleaning dried blood off the floor. Swears and curses left her mouth as if she was chanting a prayer, her brow pinched into an angry look. Kaneki found the sight rather amusing since he had never seen her in her element. Whenever they made the exchange, the place would already be spotless, and she would be in civilian clothes with a look on her face that said she hated the world.

The execution chamber in its glory and prime was a sight to behold. It would make a lesser man puke, and it always amazed him how such a frail-looking young woman could bear to work in such a place. Kaneki breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of fresh blood, and the sound gave away his position.

Purple eyes widened at the sight of him, cheeks turning an angry shade of red even as its owner bowed down in respect. “Y-your Highness,” Touka stammered, voice tight with annoyance as she clenched the mop tightly in hand. “Forgive me for the state of this place. I was not expecting you to arrive so soon.”

“Where is the package?”

“I have yet to prepare it, milord.” She stood up, and even from the distance, Kaneki could see her chewing on the inside of her cheek in distress. “You were supposed to arrive at seven.”

Kaneki hummed, gazing at the carnage around them. “I could wait.”

Touka opened her mouth, as if to protest, before promptly closing it. She gave him one last look before going back to her job. Although Kaneki couldn’t help but note, she now had her back to the wall and there was tenseness to her shoulders that was absent when he first came in.

Silence settled around them, and Kaneki tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. It was a futile attempt, though, because Touka kept glancing at him, her eyes filled with questions she didn’t dare ask. Kaneki would stare back, and each time, she’d glare harder before going back to her task. It was amusing, if not a little confusing.

“Your highness…” Touka had stopped cleaning, her form completely still as she gripped the mop like a lifeline as if it was the only thing holding her together, as if she would break anytime soon. She looked at him, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “I know it is out of my place to ask you anything of you but… take him back,” she pleaded, voice cracking. “The world hasn’t crashed and burned yet, but I-

…He is like a brother to me.”

The corner of his lip twitched upward as he fought off a smile. It was nice to know that Hideyoshi still had someone who loved him, who wanted him back despite the fact that he may have turned traitor on the kingdom. Kaneki wanted to comfort and ease her pain, but he couldn’t let the chance to find out more about Hideyoshi’s past go to waste. He wasn’t above manipulating people. “I will but only if you cooperate with me.”

Her eyes widened, and a snarl formed on her lips. Kaneki cocked a brow arrogantly. Cursing Hideyoshi under her breath, Touka glared at him. “…I am a mere executioner. There is no help I could give you that would not be doubled if you were to ask it of someone else.”

Kaneki shook his head with a smile as he spread his arms wide open as if he was showcasing the bloody place around them. “On the contrary, you’re the only one who can supply me with sustenance.”

“Is that what you want? More meat to feast on?” Touka asked, her anger fuelling the disrespect and disgust barely hidden in her words in as she crossed her arms. The area was finally spotless, and Kaneki had half the mind to tell her to get his food already. However, It wouldn’t be beneficial to add more wood to the already roaring fire, so he held his tongue.

“No need to get angry,” Kaneki pacified, chuckling. “I simply wished to remind you that you are not as useless as you thought. There are other things you can provide.” To his shock and befuddlement, instead of growing curious, Touka flushed in anger. She curled in on herself, fury burning in her eyes but, interestingly enough, Kaneki could detect a hint of fear in her gaze.

She hissed at him, “If you were looking for _that_ kind of entertainment and cooperation, you wouldn’t find that _here._ I am not a whore that will throw herself at you just so I could-”

“ _Excuse me?”_

Touka frowned, her stance loosening a little though there was still a hard look in her eyes. “You- Were you not referring to _that_ as something I could provide?”

Understanding dawned on him. “No!” Kaneki denied vehemently, aghast and horrified because that wasn’t what he meant _at all_. Scowling, Kaneki watched as the blush on Touka’s face intensified so much she resembled a tomato. It was amusing, though, and it said a lot about his companion that _that_ kind of service was the first thing that she thought about. “All I had in mind were some questions! Of course, that wasn’t what I was going to ask you.”

Of course not! Hideyoshi would _castrate_ him, slowly and painfully.

Touka refused to look at him and said meekly, “Oh.”

“Yes, _oh,”_ Kaneki huffed, amused, before he abruptly turned serious. “I wish to know why you decided to give Hideyoshi the meat when I was injured.”

Touka whipped around to turn at him in surprise, and Kaneki met her gaze steadily. She stared at him for a moment, wondering, before she answered with a smile playing on her lips, “It was partly because Hideyoshi was more stubborn than I am, but I think the real reason was because of the smile he wore when I asked him why he was so adamant about saving you.” She shook her head fondly. “I don’t think he even realized that he was doing it. Do you know what I felt when I saw it? I was happy, of course, but I also felt like I was _intruding._ It was as if no one but you should see that smile, as if you owned it.”

Mouth suddenly dry, Kaneki swallowed and could only stare as his heart tightened painfully in his chest because of a phantom pain that could only be described as heartbreak. Touka met his gaze, something too close to respect in her eyes while she huffed in amusement. “That’s why I gave him the meat. Because you weren’t there when he smiled, but it still belonged to you.”

Kaneki turned away, tears gathering in his eyes as his emotions overwhelmed him. Longing and happiness welled up inside him, threatening to overflow and Kaneki could only watch helplessly. It was like standing on the edge of the cliff, but instead of seeing a pit of never ending darkness, Kaneki saw the light. It hurt, looking at that light, but every time he turned back to walk toward safety, he saw only a bleak future ahead of him. He still didn’t know which path to take, but Kaneki was sure that if he jumped, he would lose himself and disintegrate into nothing.

“’Anyone who could make him smile as if he could handle everything life threw at him can’t be that bad,’ was what I thought.” Touka’s smile could be heard through her voice, and for a moment, Kaneki is once again grateful that Hideyoshi had a friend to fall back on.

Clearing his throat, Kaneki composed himself. “…I never thought that the reason could be something like that. I never pegged you as someone who is controlled by her emotions.”

Touka smirked at him as if she knew something he wasn’t privy to. Needless to say, it put him on edge. “I owe Hideyoshi my life,” she confessed, shrugging. “I was dying on the street when he found me on one of his travels. We stared at each other, and he must have seen something in me worth saving because he helped me. I didn’t even say anything, yet he chose to extend a hand.” 

“Hideyoshi has a bad habit of trying to fix broken things,” Kaneki told her, voice soft with fondness and exasperation.

“That’s something we can both attest to.”

Kaneki didn’t reply, and Touka took the chance to clean her mop and return it to the closet. She came back a little while later already carrying Kaneki’s meal. He accepted it from her without a word, and it was only once she had turned her back on him that Kaneki spoke. “Tell me more about him,” he said, the order coming out as a plea. “You are the only one who can.”

Touka whirled around and eyed him curiously.

“I wish to know where Hideyoshi came from. It does not really matter, but I suspect something and I need to confirm if it is true or not. My opinion of Hideyoshi will not change, of course, but I need to know what I am dealing with in order to get him back,” he explained, relief coursing through him at the understanding in her eyes.

A thoughtful look on her face, Touka asked, “You think that his past has something to do with all this?” She frowned. “You may be right… Hideyoshi has never told me anything directly because his past is a minefield that I was never willing to test, but from what I gathered in our conversations, he was born far from here. I could tell it was an unhappy childhood based on his clipped tone as well as the agitation that would roll of him in waves whenever the subject came up.”

Kaneki listened, desperately grasping for any kind of useless information. To his frustration, though, there was none. “Yes,” he answered impatiently, “but I want to know how he got _here_. Did he have friends before he met you? A group or a family he left behind?”

“What is this about?” Touka snapped, suddenly suspicious. “I thought you were trying to help him? It seems like you are looking for evidence to sentence him for treason!”

“I am!” he said, but there was too much doubt planted for her to believe him.

Touka stood up, hands formed in a defensive stance in front of her. Alarmed that the situation has gotten so out of hand, Kaneki tried to stop Touka from running. She was fast, however, and he did not expect the kick that hit him in the groin. “Forgive me, your majesty,” she sneered as she backed away, “but, please, leave as you have overstayed your welcome.” 

“I could have you killed for this,” Kaneki hissed, face tight and body doubled over in pain.

The threat made Touka hesitate and hope flared inside Kaneki only to wither and die away when merely smirked at him. “No, you wouldn’t,” she said confidently. “Hideyoshi would never forgive you.”

“You still trust that I would not do anything to hurt Hideyoshi’s feelings, but you do not believe me when I say that I will not cause him harm?”

“I know now that you will save him, but I will not divulge any information that Hideyoshi did not see fit to share with you. I will not betray his trust like that.”

Kaneki straightened and stared at her. In other words, it meant that Hideyoshi was involved in a group, and Touka could not tell him about it. He nodded gratefully at her and received a warning look in response. It seemed like she had every intention of helping him from the start and acting like she had been wronged was just an excuse to hurt him.

Kaneki sighed, slipping the meat in his pockets, unsure if she tolerated him or hated his guts. He left not long after finishing his meal and returned to the palace.

He was training when Arima called for him. Before _,_ Kaneki would have hated the interruption, but after everything, he couldn’t help but be grateful for it. Training felt incomplete and lonely without the weight of a pair of eyes watching his every move. The room felt too vast without the presence of another person shouting commentaries at him, and it was saddening how there was no tuft of blond hair playing in his peripheral vision.  

Cleaning up, he quickly made his way to the strategy room where he was greeted by every member of the royal family and two ragged looking scouts. Arima was dismissing them when Kaneki arrived, and after a deep bow, they left.

Kaneki looked at them curiously as they passed. They smelled of death, yet Kaneki knew they were not injured.

“They found the rebel leaders,” Arima said when it was clear that Kaneki wasn’t going to say anything. “The soldiers Amon questioned were being truthful. The scouts found their graves in the 11th town, and there is no sign of any more rebels in the whole kingdom.”

The Prince forced the words out of his suddenly tight throat. “…so I am free to go?”

Arima nodded. “Travel to the East and gain the loyalty of the Tsukiyamas. Then, I will allow you to continue your search for Hideyoshi.”

The king knew him too well, knew just which buttons to push to have Kaneki eating at the palm of his hand. Presented with an offer he couldn’t refuse, the prince just nodded, mind a mixture of memories he thought he had long buried and scenarios regarding the neighboring kingdom. He left the room as quickly as he came, keeping his face hidden from the king’s view lest the latter see the pooling tears in his eyes.

Cursing under his breath, he all but slammed the door to his chamber close as irrational anger and pain overcame him. Kaneki fell to his knees, and the loss of strength seemed like a signal for the tears to finally drop down his cheeks onto the carpeted floor. Everything he had, every friend and family, was now officially gone. He had killed them, just like he had failed them before when he wasn’t there to stand by their side. Kaneki stumbled to his feet as he made his way to his bookshelf. One last time… he would allow himself one last peek at the portrait before he would toss it to the fire. Kaneki reached forward to pull the book he hid it in when he froze, fear lighting his nerves on fire when his hand landed on a different novel.

“…wha-“

Heart thudding in his chest, Kaneki breathed deeply as panic overtook him. His fingers twitched in agitation and his eyes wildly looked all over the bookshelf in panic. He _knew_ he had returned it to its usual place the last time he looked at the portrait! And there was no way to misplace or even miss that novel because it was old and leather bound with the width as long as a finger. It was humungous, even for a prince. His eyes traveled downward, desperate in their search. If someone had seen it…!

Licking his lips, Kaneki’s eyes widened at the familiar gold encrusted pages, a smile of relief breaking his tense features. Odd, he didn’t remember placing it there. He dropped down on one knee and pulled the book using both hands. He placed it on his desk, wiping the dirt that gathered with a hand. Brows furrowed, Kaneki noted that some pages were not in order. That meant that someone had indeed entered his room and touched his things. Furious, Kaneki gritted his teeth together. If someone had seen the portrait, then Kaneki should have been branded as a traitor already, so why? Unless…Thinking hard, Kaneki mentally listed all the people he knew who would have the guts to disobey a direct order from a prince who was rumored to be a bloodthirsty killer. It had to have been someone completely stupid or someone who was confident in his ability to defend himself or Kaneki’s inability to hurt him.

Only two people fitted those requirements.

He dismissed Urie as a suspect because the prince had hated his guts back then and wouldn’t stoop so low as to stalk around his room and disregard his privacy for a mere suspicion. As for Hideyoshi… why was Hideyoshi playing with his things?

Kaneki shook his head, frowning, as he arranged the pages in the right order. It didn’t matter what Hideyoshi was doing in his room. What mattered was that the blond – the royal _advisor_ – obviously saw the portrait and hid it for him. Kaneki bit his lips together as tears abruptly streamed down his face. He had been completely useless, getting injured and then being nursed back to health. Hideyoshi stayed with him through the worse of it, helped him, _saved_ him.

_“Just let me protect you.”_

That was what he so confidently stated, and yet, it always ended with Hideyoshi protecting him. Well, not anymore, Kaneki vowed determinedly. This time, it would be him who would save Hideyoshi and find him. It would be him that would protect the blond. He already failed all his former comrades, and he had no intention of failing Hideyoshi as well.

Kaneki gripped the portrait in one hand, took one long look and tossed it into the fireplace.

The prince watched it turn to ash and stayed until the last embers died, his figure as still as a statue. Frowning slightly, he stared at the charred remains before turning around to stalk towards his closet to prepare for tomorrow’s journey. The last time he had been there, the kingdom was prospering under Mirumo Tsukiyama’s rule, but the kingdom had closed its door after it learned of the attack against Yoshimura. No one had heard anything about the inner dealings of the kingdom until they asked for help. Although Kaneki had to admire their consistency because even though they were no doubt desperate, they were still determined to hold on to the air of mysteriousness that now surrounded their assistance. It was not a good tactical plan, though, and Kaneki idly wondered how many kingdoms have turned them down before.

* * *

The wooden gate opened to permit his entrance, while lines upon lines of people stood within the walls, all waiting to greet him. Kaneki did not pay them any heed, even as they started throwing flowers at him or pleading at him to save them. Still, their words that aroused his curiosity only served to agitate the few guards who came along with him.

The kingdom, though not as large as Arima’s, were massive in its own right. Kaneki knew that such a kingdom needed a decent ruler to manage its people, but Mirumo was more than capable, so the prince felt a stab of disbelief as he gazed at the rows of burned down houses and the homeless people that stood before them. When he arrived at another town, people clamored around him for money, while another village seemed devoid of life. Finally, he reached the capital village, and its inhabitants parted a way for him like a wave. He eyed them curiously as he passed by for they were only standing motionless before him. Until – _finally_ \- they all moved.

The prince startled slightly when they all began to kneel, silent as a feather. They still refused to say anything; however, the act drove home how dire the situation really was. The guards around him were staring, mouths open, in unrestrained amazement, and Kaneki himself had faltered at the display. He jumped off his horse and led it past the throng of people. Somehow, riding up on his horse past the kneeling people seemed wrong, like was above them, like he was better when it was the complete opposite.

After what seemed like a long time, they finally reached the inner part of the kingdom. He noted, with slight relief, that the inhabitants and its structures were untouched.

“Your highness, you look as unsightly as ever,” a slick voice commented as its figure slid away from the wall. The guards around Kaneki bristled at the insult, but he barely spent the other male a glance.

“Rose,” he greeted, nodding, and heard the telltale sound of someone gritting their teeth. Fortunately, Rose kept quiet as they entered the castle, which was eerily quiet. The faces of the servants watched them with hope and fear whilst the guards guided them to the throne room. The prince of the kingdom, Shuu, who was pacing in front of the throne stopped in his tracks at the sight of him.

Kaneki inclined his head in greeting, eyes immediately flitting around the room to assess the danger as Rose hurriedly crossed the room to stand beside his prince. Kaneki eyed the empty throne.

“I was not aware that King Matsumae will not present.”

All the occupants in the room flinched as their faces scrunched up in pain.

“My father is dead,” Shuu said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Kaneki blinked in surprise and understanding. The king’s death would explain the desperation and bleakness that enveloped the place and haunted the people. Still, though it was a stupid move, it was amazing how the kingdom had managed to keep it under wrap. “How long?” the prince asked, careful not to add accusation or admiration in his voice. “And why?”

Shuu’s lower lip quivered. “Murdered. Two weeks ago,” he informed, a hint of bloodlust and grief coloring his tone. “He was the first, but he was not the last. A week ago the outer towns were attacked-” Shuu stopped, his composure cracking at the last word. Kaneki gave him time to recover as he studied the tense posture of the people in the room. “We… we had no idea until the fire started, no idea that a _massacre_ happened in the middle of the night.”

“What?” Kaneki asked in disbelief. The story the other prince was telling him was so similar to what had happened in their kingdom that Kaneki was sure it was committed by the same set of people. However, Kaneki must not have conveyed his message well because Shuu immediately became defensive.

“I am not fooling you!” he exploded, eyes wide and maniacal. “Do you _realize_ the danger we are in now? Why we refuse to go into detail about what is happening here? Our kingdom is small, and no one with a right mind would come to help us with a danger this great. My people were killed- _assassinated_ , and whoever killed them managed to do it without raising awareness or suspicion. This group is no normal bandits or thugs. They’re killers.”

Kaneki understood fully what Shuu was trying to explain, what taking this job on could entail, but his mind was unable to wrap around it as it latched onto one single part of the whole tirade. “You believe it is a group?”

Shuu hesitated before nodding and said, “We have reason to believe so.” He motioned for Kaneki to follow him as he headed into another room; one that displayed armors and weapons of the kings before him. He led Kaneki to the table at the center of the room where a dagger was placed alone on a pillow.

Kaneki picked it up and admired the design. He knew what Shuu wanted to tell him before the man even spoke, knew it because he had touched this dagger before, and carried it with him for a time. Kaneki flipped the weapon to stare at the clown insignia embedded on the tip and frowned.  He jumped at the whisper of Shuu’s voice so close behind him.

“The jokers.”

“An odd name for such a group,” Kaneki remarked, but it was also oddly fitting, though he did not dare say that.

Shuu moved to stand at the other side of the table. “But fitting,” he countered. “It was hard to find evidence of how my people were killed because of the fire, but we managed to salvage some bodies and… and they were all killed without a fight.

There were no hard blows dealt that could be seen in the bones we had recovered, and no further wounds in the bodies we have recovered, so we could assume that they were killed with a single strike or perhaps two. On the other hand, while some were killed mercifully, with a single strike to the neck. The other bodies were… defiled.”

Shuu, seeing Kaneki’s horrified expression, hurried to elaborate. “The eyes were gouged out, and the stabs – no more than three each – were placed symmetrically in the bodies as if they were creating art. We are not dealing with humans here, Prince Kaneki, but monsters pretending to be men.”

Kaneki bristled at that. There was that word again – _monster_.  He couldn’t shake that feeling that everything – from the attacks in the past few months to the war that destroyed his former kingdom – was connected, and that everything that had happened was because of a single group; a group that Hideyoshi was involved in.

On the other hand, all the information he had learned and the danger that he was suddenly in didn’t change anything. He came to Matsumae’s kingdom to look for Hideyoshi, and now that he had a decent lead he was not going to let it go to waste. Whether Hideyoshi was part of the group or not mattered, but it didn’t change anything.

Kaneki was still going to get him back.

“I will help you,” he told Shuu resolutely and watched as joy and hope bloomed in the other man’s face only to fall not even a second later as Kaneki continued, “on one condition.”

Shuu, visibly upset, bit the inside of his cheeks. “If it is money you desire, we will give you as much as you wish.”

Kaneki shook his head. “I wish to keep this,” he said as he held the dagger by the hilt with the blade pointed downward so he could show it to the prince. Confusion painted Shuu’s face but Kaneki did not acknowledge it. “I require nothing else but this and some of your men to help me.”

“Then it is yours.”

Kaneki removed the one sheathed on the holster in his thigh and replaced it with Hideyoshi’s dagger, and as he was doing so, only one thing was running through his mind.

_Wait for me._


	6. S

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so apparently I referred to Kanae as Rose in the previous chapter. I will be editing that mistake and will be referring to him as Kanae from here on out.       

Kaneki crouched low to the undergrowth, eyes flitting back and forth between the trees as he tried to detect the barest hint of movement. Kanae and Matsumae followed his example, the only soldiers Kaneki saw fit to take with him in his undercover mission. He was still unsure whether he made the right call, but Shuu was desperate and was willing to let him do almost anything so as long as it would finally free them from the threat that had been hanging over their heads.

_“An eye for an eye,” Kaneki had said. “We use the same tactic against them.”_

An outright attack would lead to their deaths, so an assassination was their best bet. Still, that tactic would work only if there were no eyes watching their every move, and that was something Kaneki didn’t know how to make sure was true. There could have been traitors within the kingdom itself, and since Kaneki had no idea who or what worked for them, he had asked Shuu for advice. The latter gave him his most trusted, and without anyone knowing of his plan, they set off.

Kaneki had hoped that it would be enough but judging by the sharp movement he had caught in the trees earlier, it wasn’t. Either they were seen while leaving the castle or one of the two behind him was a traitor all along. Kaneki inclined his head, listening further even as his mind flew in a different location. Perhaps there were no traitors, perhaps they were being watched the moment they entered the forest.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and Kaneki cursed under his breath as the sun bathed them in scorching heat; another reminder of his foolish decision. He _knew_ it was a mistake to enter the clearing, but he had caught a whiff of something and felt the immediate need to check it out. Thanks to his curiosity, they were going today not even a day after they started their attack.

Kaneki tensed.

Another movement… this time up in the trees.

He made a signal behind his back, subtly warning his companions to split up and run away on the count of three. It was risky, but it was also the best chance they had. After all, without anyone who would be left alive to see it, he could take out the enemies using his whips.

Heart hammering in his chest, they took off in opposite directions.

Kaneki slowed down after a while, brows furrowing in confusion when he wasn’t stopped by anyone. Dread slowly pooled in his stomach at the dawning realization that it had been unusually quiet as he ran. He turned back, heart lodged in his throat and hoping against all odds that he hadn’t led the other two to their deaths.

Something flashed in his peripheral vision and Kaneki froze, dagger held defensively in front of him. The person that came out of the trees took his breath away and replaced the tightness in his chest with a weird mixture of relief and anger. He sheathed the dagger back in its holster and assumed the same unassuming stance as the Joker, completely defenseless. They stared at each other, as still and motionless as the trees around them. Kaneki’s fingers twitched in their desire to take the other’s mask off, yet even with it on, he knew who the other person was. The blond hair, the same color of a sunflower, was unmistakable.

“Go back,” the Joker said coldly. “This isn’t your fight. Do not get involved.”

Kaneki hummed, pretended to think it over and arrogantly answered, “No.”

The blond twitched, as unnerved by everything as Kaneki was. Too bad, he wasn’t about to have pity on him, not after everything.

“Hideyoshi,” he called out flatly, a stab of sick pleasure coursing through him at the other’s flinch and silence. “You promised me that you would not do anything stupid.”

Not expecting a response, he continued, “I do not understand what you are doing here, only that you do not want it.” Hideyoshi took a step back just as kaneki took a step forward. The latter frowned, even as he held out a hand. “We can talk this over, Hideyoshi. Let’s go home.”

Hideyoshi slapped his hand away and leaped back as if burnt, and Kaneki willed away the sudden pain that flared in his chest. “Leave,” the blond insisted. “You do not belong here.”

“And you do?” Kaneki shot back.

He didn’t understand what was going on and why Hideyoshi was so adamant about staying when he made it pretty clear that he would rather die than be back here than to do these kinds of things again. Kaneki’s jaw clenched in annoyance and worry because what could be so important that Hideyoshi was so willing to throw away everything he worked for, what was so important that he would leave Kaneki?

A grunt that was immediately followed by laughter caught his attention and Kaneki jerked in response. The blond studied him, before looking over his shoulder in thought. The blond eyes that could be seen through the mask sharpened in understanding. “I will not ask again.”

“Why are you targeting them? What could they possibly give you?” Kaneki asked. _What do they have that I don’t?_

“ _Just leave_ ,” the blond ordered desperately, surprising both himself and Kaneki. “Go back to your king and tell him that you failed, that they were all dead when you got here. You do not need to be involved in this. You do not need to help them.”

Kaneki scowled. He wasn’t doing it for _them_ , but he had already given his word and he intended to follow through it. Besides, if Hideyoshi’s refusal was because of the other jokers, then all Kaneki had to do get rid of them; then Hideyoshi would be free.

“And you do not need to do this, Hideyoshi. Now, get out of my way.”

However, instead of doing just that, the blond took a dagger out and moved into an offensive position. He pointed his dagger at Kaneki, feet spread widely apart as he prepared to move. Kaneki looked at him in bemusement, not moving a muscle as he fought the instinctive urge to grab his sword and protect himself. “I will not fight you.”      

“And I will not let you ruin everything by being suicidal!” Hideyoshi snapped back, eyes tight with anger.

Kaneki slowly walked towards the blond. “I’m not human. I can take them,” the prince assured, _probably_. To be honest, the massacre of the two towns was still fresh on his mind. Kaneki had no idea _how_ he was going to defeat a bunch of people like that, but he had the advantage since they didn’t know of his appendages.

“You’re outnumbered,” Hideyoshi sputtered in disbelief, and as he got closer Kaneki noticed that the scent he had always carried had gotten stronger. “And you almost died once!”

“You cannot stop me, Hideyoshi, unless you cut me down.” Kaneki stopped in front of him and leaned closer so that the tip of the knife was pressed close. It drew blood, but Kaneki didn’t care as he bent down to whisper in Hideyoshi’s ear, “ _do it._ ”

The blond was shaking. A beat passed and for half a second Kaneki actually thought that he would drive the dagger home, but in the end, the weapon clattered to the ground, followed by the Joker. Kaneki knelt in front of him. “This doesn’t suit you at all,” he said softly as he removed the mask with steady hands.

Hideyoshi’s eyes, wide and blown over, stared at him in complete silence. Breathing uneven, the blond looked crazed and panicked, as if out of touch with reality. Kaneki brushed back sweaty hair with a soft smile. He startled when Hideyoshi’s hand clamped on his wrist, so tight it was painful. “Don’t do it, Kaneki. Don’t ruin everything.”

“Stay here and trust me,” he answered and gently tugged away from his hand. With a determined look on his face, Kaneki ran towards the sound of fighting. He would do it even if it killed him. He would set Hideyoshi free.

He arrived at the same clearing they were in earlier. There were seven clowns surrounding Matsumae as she stood protectively over Kanae’s fallen body. Kaneki was about to attack when one of them leaped at Kanae with grace and strength most humans didn’t possess. The clown drove a sword cleanly through her chest, and it was through sheer force of will that Matsumae stabbed him in return. With a choked gasp she fell to the ground, and just before her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her gaze clashed with Kaneki’s.

Kaneki nodded solemnly at her as he took out his sword, and without further ado, he jumped into the fray. Taking out the nearest was easy, but when they were alerted to his presence, the task became infinitely harder. The five jokers surrounded him, swords and daggers pointed at his person, making it clear that they were aiming for the kill.

Still, Kaneki was faster, and they did not expect the red whip coming out of his lower back in a flash and sweeping them off their feet. The whip returned to his body. Ignoring the cries of surprise and fear, he stabbed the one on his left side right on the forehead and whirled around to block the swing of a dagger aiming for his neck. He kicked the assailant away, but he was too late and another grabbed a hold of him while two were aiming to attack his back. Panic choked him for a second until his training kicked in. Kaneki grabbed the arm that was holding on to him and twisted, loosening the joker’s grip and allowing the prince to push him away. The Joker grunted as he sprawled on the ground, but Kaneki didn’t have time to focus on that as he jumped back to avoid the swords coming for him from behind. He attacked, taking advantage of their momentum and lack of balance. One fell easily to his sword, and Kaneki countered the other who had already regained his balance. The sword swung for his neck. Kaneki ducked low and elbowed the Joker in the stomach before whirling around to kick him to the ground. The prince stabbed him through on the chest and hastily pulled his sword out to block the last joker. His lip was bleeding, probably from when he kissed the ground when Kaneki had pushed him earlier. He feinted, and the Joker leaped back, but he had forgotten Kaneki’s appendage and did not expect the sudden stab from behind.

Though the clowns were good, Kaneki was better, and by the end of it, he was the only one standing. The outcome sent a sting of disappointment and confusion through him. He had expected more from the people who wiped out towns undetected. The prince looked around the clearing. Matsumae and Kanae were already clearly dead, and he frowned at the thought of having to explain to Shuu how they were ambushed. A joker lay near them; the one Matsumae had stabbed before she welcomed the warm embrace of death while the other jokers were all at his feet. Kaneki wiped the sweat off his brow and closed his eyes, sighing in relief at the coolness that the wind brought him. However, it wasn’t only relief that it carried but also the barest hint of the sound of battle. He tensed, eyes snapping open as he tried to determine the direction of the sound. Breath stuttering in his chest, Kaneki swallowed deeply.

It was coming from the direction of the castle.

With a curse forming on his lips and sitting on his tongue, Kaneki returned his sword to its scabbard. If he borrowed a horse from the nearest town, he might just make it in time. The sudden stab of pain that coursed through his chest made him pause, and he looked down in surprise at the sword sticking out of his stomach. Kaneki turned around slowly as blood pooled and dripped out of his mouth. The laughing eyes of the Joker he had stabbed with his whip were the last thing he saw before everything went black.

Kaneki woke up later to the smell of vomit and sweat. He made a noise of disgust once he realized that the smell was coming off of him. His eyes widened as the memories came back, and he pushed himself up only to crash back down, pain erupting on his stomach. He gasped in shock while his hands immediately sought out the wound, only to find it bandaged. Kaneki looked around the place he was in, eyes wide and alert.

He was in the deepest part of a cave. There was a lit up fire beside where he lay, and his weapons were stacked quite nicely on the other side. Kaneki himself was lying on a strange makeshift bed of leaves. Though odd, it was surprisingly comfortable. Mindful of the pain, Kaneki struggled to sit up and once he did, he immediately went for the bandages covering his stomach.

“Don’t.”

His eyes snapped to the mouth of the cave.

Hideyoshi was leaning back on the wall beside the entrance, arms crossed as he watched Kaneki with hard eyes, his mouth forming a thin line. “When I finally calmed down, I ran after you. You were but a bloody heap on the ground… I thought-”

“I’m alive, aren’t I?” Kaneki asked with a wince.

The blond’s eyes flashed with anger, the brown turning to a beautiful gold on the firelight. “You told me that _this_ ,” he snarled, gesturing to Kaneki’s wounded form, “would not happen again! Yet here we are. Here _you_ are again. Wounded; Left barely alive when it wasn’t even the strongest of us whom you fought when you haven’t even _met_ the core members.”

“Why did you not tell me?” Kaneki asked softly. There were a lot more questions buzzing in his brain – important questions that needed answering – but none of them seemed to matter as much as the one he had just uttered, none so persistent, so similar to an itch needing to be scratched. His heart was beating painfully in his chest as he waited for an answer, but Hideyoshi had turned his head away, in defiance or shame he didn’t know. Kaneki frowned, even as he called softly, “Hideyoshi, why did you come back?”

Hideyoshi glanced at him again, the same ire still present in his eyes. “Why did you come at all? You have no business here. The Tsukiyamas are no allies of Arima, and this was why I specifically-” he stopped short, gritting his teeth in distress. “Why are you here?”

Kaneki wanted to ask him to elaborate, but he knew that Hideyoshi would not answer to anything as long as there were still pieces on the board he could not see. The prince sighed tiredly. “Prince Shuu asked for help regarding the killings in the kingdom. I made a deal with Arima that if I solved it and gained their alliance, the first thing that I will have them do is look for you,” he admitted with a shrug. “I just did not expect you to be a part of the problem itself… and when I got here, I thought I had nothing to lose by helping them, since they were the reason I found you in the first place.”

“You ruined _everything_ ,” Hideyoshi said heatedly as he stalked over to kneel before Kaneki. He checked the prince’s temperature, movements gentle despite the anger still burning in his eyes. “This wasn’t how this was supposed to go, you know.  You were supposed to be _safe_.” Hideyoshi stilled, hands clenched tightly on his lap. “Do you even have _any idea_ how many people had to die by _my_ hands just so they would leave _your_ kingdom alone?”

Kaneki bit his lip, and he forced the words out of his tight throat. “You don’t- It was _I_ who promised to protect you!”

“I never asked nor wanted your protection!”

“It is still mine to give!” The prince breathed deeply through his nose, eyes closed as he tried to calm himself. He opened them, determination swirling in his gaze as he stared at Hideyoshi. “I never asked for you to sacrifice yourself either.”

Odd as it was, shouting at Hideyoshi made him feel better. It was as if letting Hideyoshi know how stupid his decisions had been this past few months brought the relief and exhilaration he so desperately craved. Still, there were more pressing matters than the fact that they were two idiots who did not know how to communicate. “What happened to the kingdom? I heard fighting before I passed out.”

Hideyoshi’s lips curled in disdain, and it was clear that he was hesitant to share this bit of information. “The prince has been captured, as well as the kingdom.”

Kaneki hummed in reply as he stood up, Hideyoshi following after.

“Kan- my prince,” Hideyoshi called, something like desperation and worry bleeding out of him, “please, do not.”

“Do not what?”

“You want to save him,” Hideyoshi told him, hands clutching Kaneki’s own as if that would stop the other man from leaving. “But I’m telling you now that it’s not a good idea.”

Kaneki gently removed Hideyoshi’s hand on his arm as he dressed himself up. “You made a deal for the kingdom, but since it is pretty clear that you have betrayed them, it will not be long until they turn to our king. If we get a hold of Prince Shuu, we will have the favor of the people. Besides, I already gave him my word.”

Hideyoshi stood in front of him to block his way. “It is too dangerous. We have no idea what is going on in the palace… There are too many unknown factors for it to be successful!”

“It does not matter,” Kaneki answered as he went around the blond. “In fact, it would be better if you would just stay here and wait. At least this way you would be out of danger.”

“Will you stop?!” Hideyoshi growled, stopping Kaneki in his tracks. “Stop it! Stop _this_! Quit being selfish and- and _heroic_. Your death will be of no help to anyone! Do you think Tsukiyama will forgive you for the death of his most trusted just because you died? Do you think you’ll help Arima by diving headfirst in a situation you know nothing of?!”

Kaneki hissed, “Your leaving did nothing to help as well, did it?”

Hideyoshi barked out a sardonic laugh. “Oh, so what is this then? Pettiness? Revenge? If it weren’t for _you_ , my plan would have worked! The group would have left the Kingdom alone! You would have been _happy._ ”

“ _Happy_?” Kaneki breathed out disbelievingly as he froze, hands clenched tightly at his sides and his head bowed down. “I wasn’t happy. I was everything but happy. Every second of every day of those two months were _torture._ How would you know what would make me happy?”

Hideyoshi swallowed heavily. He reached out a hand to touch Kaneki but aborted the movement half way. “They would have killed you… They would have ordered me to kill you to save myself.”

“That would be an honor.” He meant the words to be reassuring, but they only made Hideyoshi angrier. The blond just didn’t _understand_. Kaneki would give the world if he asked. Laying down his life in exchange for Hideyoshi’s didn’t seem like such a bad way to go.

“ _Quiet_!” the blond snapped. “You act like you would do anything for me- that is anything except _live._ Do you not understand? Dying the kind of death you wish to achieve means nothing! It solves nothing and gives you nothing except the reprieve you crave.”

Kaneki bared his teeth in anger. “Your _plan_ solved _nothing_!”

“At least I’m _trying!_ ” Hideyoshi screamed, grabbing Kaneki by the shoulders and shaking him. Tears were pooling at the corner of the blond’s eyes, and the words came out choked and garbled. “At least I haven’t given up because I believe that you’re worth everything! You’re worth all that blood and all this pain! I _knew_ that everything would be worth it so as long as you were safe! But you- _what are you doing?_ You’re so ready to lay down your life and solve nothing. You’re so ready to leave _me_.” With tears running down his face, Hideyoshi placed his head on Kaneki’s chest while his hands gripped the front of Kaneki’s clothes, gentle and still mindful of the injury. “You haven’t even courted me yet.”

Kaneki flinched but didn’t dislodge the blond. He rested a comforting hand on Hideyoshi’s back and said, stricken, “I’m sorry. I… I’ve never thought of it that way.”

“Promise me something.”

“Anything,” Kaneki swore, meaning every word.

“ _Live,_ ” Hideyoshi stressed. “I do not care how or why, but _never_ stop fighting. I’m also not something which you need to protect. I’m a tactician, your highness, and instead of asking for my help you would rather go in impulsively rather than involve me. So I swear to you, if you tell me to stay behind one more time, I will end you.”

Kaneki’s lips pulled up into a soft smile and he embraced the blond. “Is that really how one should talk to his prince?”

“Yes,” Hideyoshi answered, voice muffled because of Kaneki’s neck, “when the prince is not being _princely_.”

Said Prince huffed out a laugh and gently disentangled their bodies. He grabbed Hideyoshi’s face and wiped the tears away. “What should we do?”

Hideyoshi gave him a sharp grin. “We fight.”  

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending's kinda open, and I'm still debating with myself if I'm gonna write a sequel for this. Don't count on it, tho hahaha
> 
> Thanks for reading you guys! Good luck with life and stay as the amazing people you are!! :D


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